You Belong To Me
by red-bell-again
Summary: Jared returns to school for the first time since becoming a wolf and finally notices what was right there under his nose all along.
1. Chapter 1

Jared pulled his backpack tighter on his shoulder as he walked across the small, empty parking lot of the Quileute tribal school, his face set into a scowl and he muttered under his breath.

His first day back at school since he phased four months ago had not started well. His evening patrol had run late last night when the pack had picked up a foreign scent along the border of their territory and he had subsequently overslept, only to have been woken up by his mother screaming at him that she didn't care what he was dying of anymore, he'd missed too much school already.  
To add to it, he had shredded his last pair of good pants and had no choice but to wear the cut off sweats he reserved for around the rez. Not that he minded of course, when you run as hot as a wolf, you could stand stark naked in the snow and still feel comfortable, but it was November in Washington State and it wasn't exactly warm so the shorts would stand out.

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his hooded sweater, and walked down the now quiet corridor towards his English class, hoping that the teacher would let him slip in without any trouble.

"Ah!" His teacher exclaimed pushing his wire rimmed glasses back up his nose, "I wasn't aware we were gaining a new student today."

"No Mister Moriel it's me, Jared Leavitt." Jared flushed slightly, all hope of slipping quietly into his chair, gone. "I've been sick for…a while."

Mister Moriel's eyebrows knitted together as he took in Jared's appearance. "Well - you may take a seat. In the front please." He gestured to the last seat in the class in the front left corner of the room.

Jared sighed and walked quickly to it, all to aware of the whispering going on around him and his extra sensitive hearing allowing him to pick out exactly what they were saying.

_"I heard he was sent to Juvi for dealing Crack!"_

_"Nah, I heard it was Steroid's. Look at the size of him!"_

_"OMG! Like didn't he totally used to be, like, freaky small? He's like, a total hottie now!"_

He slumped into his chair, grabbing his notebook and pen from his bag and then dropping it to the floor.

"Right!" Mr Moriel clapped his hands together, "In the Lake Of The Woods, page two hundred and sixty. Mister Leavitt?"

Jared looked up at the teacher, who gestured him back towards the front of the class and handed him a copy of the book. "I expect you to have finished reading this by next Monday, in the meantime I suggest you borrow someone's notes and get up to speed on the class assignments."

He nodded and walked towards his seat as Mister Moriel called out to someone else. "Miss Catori, could you please share your notes with Jared?"

There was a little gasp from the desk next to his and a pen rolled and dropped. Jared quickly snatched at it before it hit the floor, and placed it back on the desk, chancing a look up at its occupant.

When his eye's met the surprised face in front of him, his breathing stopped and his stomach fell. The noises of the classroom merged into a low drone and the surroundings blurred until the only thing he could see was the face of the girl sitting in front of him.

"Are you okay?" A voice asked, and he tried to focus on it but his eyes didn't want to move.

"Jared! Are you okay?" The voice called again and he realised it was coming from her, and he shook his head, and the classroom came rushing back to him. He was sprawled on the floor, and she was on her knees next to him, her long dark hair falling over her worried face.

She reached a hand to his face and he immediately felt calm, but her forehead scrunched deeper. "You're burning up!"

"I'm fine." He mumbled, as she pulled her hand away and he made a move to stand.

"Are you okay, Mister Leavitt?" The teacher stepped forward, and held on to his arm to help him up. "Maybe you should go to the nurse; I'll get one of the boys to help you in case you fall again."

"No, no it's fine." Jared replied quickly. "It's just something that happens to me now. Side effect of my illness, my centre of balance is off a little, I'll be fine in a minute."

Mister Moriel nodded warily and walked back to the front of the class, while the rest of the students returned to their seats, chattering between themselves.

"Are you sure you feel okay?" A soft voice asked from beside him, "That was a pretty hard fall."

Jared felt his heart flutter at the sound of her voice, and his eye's zeroed in on her mouth. Her perfectly bowed, plump lips covered in a light sheen of clear lip balm that glistened as she spoke.

"Huh?" He asked quickly, realising that she had still been talking to him and she frowned again, bringing her perfectly arched eyebrows together above her dark, almond shaped eyes.

"I said, do want some of my soda, the sugar might help you feel better." She said holding out a half empty bottle of Coke, and he nodded, grateful for at least the distraction it provided as he tipped his head back and finished the contents of the bottle in seconds.

"Thanks…oh sorry!" He glanced at the empty bottle and blushed. "I'll replace it."

"That's okay; I can get another one at lunch. Here." She smiled, handing him a plastic wallet. "These are my notes for the class; keep them as long as you need."

Jared smiled dumbly as she turned her attention back to the front of the class.

When the bell finally rang Jared shot from his seat, his gaze still fixed on the girl next to him as she placed all her things back in her bag and zipped it up before standing inches from him.

"Still dizzy?" She asked softly, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"A little, yeah." He nodded, and breathed deeply, filling his nose with her scent. "Would you…"

"Hey Jared, right?" A nasally voice chirped next to them, and Jared turned to see a tall, slender girl, book in hand looking expectantly at him. "I'm Rosa."

"Yeah I know who you are; we've been in the same class since first grade." He replied cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, anyway." Rosa shrugged nonchalantly and carried on. "I was wondering if you maybe wanted to go somewhere with me after school."

"Actually I'm busy after school." He said, glancing at the now empty space in front of him where she had been standing and he look towards the door to see her throw a small wave in his direction before she disappeared.

"Maybe tomorrow then?" Rosa asked, "Or we could go…"

"No, I'm pretty much always busy." Jared nodded, ignoring the angry snort the escaped her mouth as he turned away from her and ran into the corridor.

"Hey!" He shouted, as he dodged between the moving student body, following her scent. "Hey, Kim?"

Kim turned her long hair whipping behind her as she stood waiting for him to catch up to her.

"Why did you walk away?" Jared asked stepping next to her.

"Oh," she said, her eye's widening a little in surprise "I thought that you and Rosa…"

"I was wondering?" He said quickly, cutting her off. "If you'd let me buy you that coke, and maybe dinner?"

"What? Why?" Kim frowned.

"Because I owe you a drink and to say thank you for looking after me back there." He smiled nervously, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

"Is this a joke?" She asked cocking an eyebrow.

"No, I'm completely serious. Let me take you to the diner in town after school." He asked and Kim nodded, her eye's never leaving his as her cheeks bloomed pink.

"Okay, that would be…that would be nice." She smiled.

"Okay, good." Jared's face split into a wide grin. "I'll wait at your locker for you after the last class."

He watched as Kim sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and chewed nervously on it, before she turned away and disappeared in to the library.

Jared stood watching the door swing shut behind her, chuckling when he heard her squeal with delight on the other side.

* * *

"Let me carry that for you." Jared said, tugging Kim's backpack from her shoulder and slipping it over his own.

"You don't have to do that!" She blushed and moved to take it back but Jared quickly turned his shoulder away and out of reach. "What if you get dizzy again?"

"Trust me, I'm absolutely fine." He smiled, pulling open the door to the diner and letting her step inside first. Kim turned abruptly and put her hand back to his forehead.

"But you're still so hot!" She exclaimed.

"Nice of you to notice!" He quirked, cocking an eyebrow.

"You know that's not what I meant!" Kim scowled, the pink blush that was becoming oh so familiar to him, spreading across her face. "Not that I never noticed that before." She added so quietly that even his sensitive ears almost missed it.

He bit back the smile that threatened at her words and motioned her towards a booth, waiting for her to take a seat before slipping in opposite her.

Kim grabbed a menu and looked over it, her lip going back between her teeth as hers eyes shifted between food options and the boy sat staring at her from across the table.

"You didn't have to do this you know?" She said, laying the menu back on the table. "It was just a Coke."

"I know I wanted to" he smiled back, "and for the record, it was more than 'just a Coke'."

"So." Kim pursed her lips. "How come you were gone so long? I mean there were tonnes of rumours…"

"Such as?" Jared pressed.

"Juvenile Detention for drug dealing, boot camp, Mono, Gonorrhea." She blushed and shrugged, "So what's the truth?"

Jared smirked, "Well nothing quite that much fun. I have a…rare genetic disorder." He shrugged, "No one in my family knew about it, but apparently it's something that a great grandfather of mine had and it skipped a couple of generations."

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed, "Are you? I mean are gonna…"

"Die?" He chuckled "No nothing like that don't worry. It just accelerated my growth a hell of a lot, and it means that sometimes I can't control my emotions as well as I used to. That's why I was away for so long, I had to get a handle on it all. I was angry for a while, a little unpredictable."

Kim sat back in shock. "I'm sorry, I've scared you haven't I?" He winced.

She shook her head and stood up, and Jared let out a resigned sigh, letting his head drop into his hands. He felt the seat next to him sink down, and a hand grip his wrist.

"You didn't scare me." Kim whispered as he looked up her. "I don't think you could ever scare me."

"Can I take your orders?" Asked the server who appeared at their table.

"Oh yeah, sure! I'll have the turkey and bacon club, fries, extra crispy and a Coke please?" Kim smiled and turned to Jared who sat with his mouth slightly agape.

"And you?" The server prompted, as he shook his head a little and grinned back a Kim.

"A girl after my own heart! I'll have what she's having."


	2. Chapter 2

"So how was your first day back at school?" Sam asked before biting into a roll and Jared couldn't help the smile that broke on his face.

"It was better than I expected," he nodded enthusiastically "a lot better! Actually could I talk to you about something outside?"

"Sure, come on." Sam said rising to his feet and moving towards the front door of his and Emily's little home.

"Don't sweat it Jere, we already know your gay!" Embry piped up with a mouthful of food. "Although I don't think you're really Sam's type?"

"Well I didn't hear your mom complaining about my type when I…" Jared started but Emily cut him off as Paul pushed Embry back into his seat.

"Not in my house boys! Have some respect and act civil." She scolded "If you can't leave your wolf at the door then don't bother coming in."

"Sorry Emily." Jared apologized and Embry had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Come on." Sam clapped him on the shoulder and guided him through the door. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to ask you what it felt like when you imprinted on Emily?" Jared said his cheeks tingeing pink.

"Why?" Sam frowned. "Did you? Do you think you have?"

"I went to my first class and I got sat next to this girl. I've known her for years but I've never really spoken to her before and one minute I was bending over to catch something and the next I'm flat out on the floor and all I can see is Kim. It was like my world literally flipped me off my feet." He explained. "Is that what it was like for you?"

Sam nodded and breathed deeply. "Pretty much. Welcome to the club brother!" He squeezed his shoulder. "So much for a rare occurrence. How much does she know?"

"Well nothing yet." Jared shrugged. "She was curious as to why I was away for so long and I told her I'd inherited a rare genetic disorder and she seemed to buy that, but obviously this isn't something I can or want to keep from her."

"Well technically it wasn't a lie, but I think the sooner you tell her everything the better otherwise it may just get harder for her to accept." Sam shrugged.

"I was thinking maybe I could bring her here?" He edged. "You know, so I have backup if things go wrong."

"Jared, you are more than welcome to bring her here and we will help you but," Sam crossed his arms over his chest "your wolf is a lot older than mine was when I imprinted, and you've always had more control over your temper, you never really had one to begin with. I don't think you need to worry about hurting her, but like I said we will help if you want."

"Okay." Jared nodded. "Maybe if you were to just phase and stay close by…just in case."

"Bring her to the house for dinner tomorrow." Sam suggested. "I'll have Paul and Embry phase and hide in the tree line and I'll wait inside the house in case you need an order. If it goes okay and she hangs around, she can talk to Emily and get the girls perspective on it all. Plus I think Em will be ecstatic that she's not the only imprintee any more!"

"Do you think Kim will be okay with it?" Jared asked quietly as they headed back inside.

"I hope so, for your sake because quite honestly, being denied by your imprint hurts like a bitch!" Sam scoffed as they entered the kitchen and walked over to Emily, wrapping his arms around her "But that doesn't mean things won't change between you two."

"Dude, you imprinted?" Paul asked, surprised and Jared nodded.

"Really?" Emily exclaimed and bounced on her toes with excitement. "Who is she? Can I meet her? Is she from here?" Sam chuckled next to her and nuzzled the side of her neck, whispering in her ear and she blushed. "Sorry, I'm just happy that I'm not the only girl any more. If I'm exposed to much more testosterone and I think I might start scratching my balls!"

"It's okay." He chuckled. "I'll bring her over tomorrow. I need to tell about the whole wolf thing though, so I can't guarantee she'll hang around long enough to meet you."

Emily smiled warmly and walked over to him, pulling him to her arms. "She'd be foolish to run away from you."

* * *

The next day, Jared headed to school in a much better mood than he had the previous day, anxious to find Kim and invite her to Emily's. He spent all morning between classes trailing her veiled scent around the school but it seemed impossible to track her down.

When lunch arrived he waited around her locker, staying out of site but keeping it in clear view and when the hour was almost up and he was about to walk away she finally appeared, dressed in black jeans and a green sweater with her hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Hey!" He called lightly walking towards her and she turned towards him and glanced around nervously. "I've been looking all over for you today, I wanted to ask you if you wanted to do something after school again?"

"Oh!" She blushed and looked down at her feet. "I can't I'm busy tonight."

Jared frowned, picking up on the sound of her thumping heart. "Okay, well maybe another night then? You let me know when you're…"

"I can't go out with you Jared," she cut him off and pushed her locker shut "yesterday was a mistake I shouldn't have gone out with you."

"Is this about what I told you? About why I was away so long, because I can explain." He frowned.

"No it's not that." Kim shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. "I just can't go out with you, so please stop asking." And with that she turned and walked away.

"Kim!" He yelled over the bustling crowd, running towards her. "Wait, what's going on? I don't understand."

"I'm not stupid Jared!" She said gritting her teeth. " I saw Rosa this morning on the way to school and she told me that you've been seeing her for a month, and that you were just using me because she was playing hard to get. I'm not an object, I won't be used and tossed aside."

"Are you kidding me?" Jared's eye's were wide, and his fists trembled. "She actually told you that?"

Kim nodded. "Secrets out, now leave me alone."

"No!" He exclaimed grabbing her wrist and pulling her to him. "Honestly? This time last year I would have probably fallen over myself if Rosa spoke to me, but I'm not the same person I used to be and you need to believe me."

"Is this supposed to be winning me over?" She scowled.

"I'm not explaining myself very well am I?" He said rubbing his temple. "Come with me? Please? Just give me the chance to explain properly."

"I can't." Kim mumbled stepping away from him.

"Rosa lied to you, please believe that." He insisted. "Aside from what you saw yesterday, I haven't spoken to her since we were forced to do a science project together in eighth grade. I've never taken her on a date, in fact yesterday she asked me and I turned her down to come and find you."

"I haven't told you the whole truth…" he began and Kim opened her mouth to cut him off but he held up his hand to stop her, "about why I was away so long, and I really want to. I want you- no, I need you to know everything about me. So please come with me? I promise I'm not trying to trick you."

He held out his hand to her but she shook her head and gestured for him to lead the way, clutching her books to her chest as she followed him, loosing sight of him momentarily.

"Did I not make myself clear earlier?" A voice hissed as a hand grabbed her bicep. "Stay away from Jared, he's mine and you'll never be good enough for him!"

"Rosa!" Jared appeared, his eyebrow furrowed and she quickly let go of Kim's arm and plastered a sickly sweet smile across her face.

"Hey Jere, I was just talking to little old Kimmy here. Did you rethink my offer?" She grinned walking her fingers up his arm.

He glanced from her face to his arm and pushed her hand away. "Obviously I didn't make it clear enough for you when I turned you down yesterday so let me try again to make this as clear for you as possible." He whispered, trying to draw as little attention as possible. "I do not want to go out with you, not now, not ever, and if you ever talk to her like that again let alone touch her? I will make sure your daddy knows exactly how you convinced Coach Hector to pass you in gym."

Rosa growled and walked away as Jared slung his arm over Kim's shoulder and led her away.

"Are you okay? She didn't hurt you did she?" He asked as she blushed.

"No she didn't, but what she said? She was right." She shook her head. "Look at you, you look like you should be on the cover of a magazine or pinned up on some girls bedroom wall. I'm not good enough for you. So why do you want me?"

"Firstly she's a first class bitch who's used to getting her own way or stamping her foot until her daddy does it for her, so ignore her." Jared scoffed and stopped turning to face her. "And secondly? I can't believe I spent so many years in the same classes as you and not notice how perfect you are. If anyone's not good enough, then it's me. My flaws run deeper than you can imagine."

"I find that hard to believe," Kim cocked an eyebrow "but thank you."

"Well give it an hour and you'll probably run screaming." Jared chuckled dryly. Grabbing her hand and pulling her along the corridor and out of the school. "But I hope you don't."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Kim asked as Jared led her across the reservation towards the forest and Sam and Emily's home.

"I want to introduce you to some people and then I was hoping we could talk…about those flaws I mentioned earlier." Jared grimaced.

"I'm sure they aren't that bad." Kim smiled.

"You'd be surprised!" He raised his eyebrow's as his alphas home came into view. "Do you remember Sam Uley? He graduated a couple of years ago."

Kim nodded, "Yeah I think so, why?"

"This is his home, he lives here with his girlfriend Emily Young." Jared explained and Kim frowned.

"Emily Young? Isn't that the girl from the Makah Tribe who got attacked by a bear last year?" She asked.

"Yep, it's her. She has some scarring on her face but you get used to it after a while, I've been hanging around her so long that I don't even notice it anymore." He shrugged guiding her up the steps and pulling open the screen door, sniffing deeply as they entered the kitchen. "Something smells good!"

"What and it doesn't usually?" Emily quipped turning towards them and wiping her hands on a towel, a lopsided smile gracing her face.

"Now I never said that!" Jared cocked his head to the side. "Emily this is Kim Catori, Kim this is Emily Young." He said gesturing between them and Kim held her hand out.

"Oh were not that formal here!" Emily smiled, grabbing her hand and pulling her into a hug. "It's nice to finally meet you, Jared's not stopped talking about you."

"He hasn't?" Kim asked, surprise etched over her face as she glanced between him and Emily and he blushed.

"Yeah, so where are the guys?" Jared said, blushing slightly and nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

Emily chuckled and opened the door "Foods ready!" She yelled and turned back to him. "They won't be long."

And sure enough, less than a few minutes later, Sam came barrelling through the door followed closely by Paul and Embry.

"Hey, it's Kim right?" Embry asked reaching for her hand as she nodded nervously. "Embry, we used to have French together."

"Oh, yeah I remember." She stuttered and turned to Paul who nodded at her in acknowledgement.

"I'm Sam." He said shaking her hand quickly. "I hear you've made quite an impression on Jared?"

"I have?" Kim squeaked and the boys chuckled, making her flush pink.

"You know what?" Jared smiled, taking her hand and pulling her gently from her seat. "I think I'm more than capable of scaring her off by myself without you animals helping. We're gonna step outside for a minute okay?" He looked pointedly at Sam who nodded. "Come on."

Kim waved as they walked out to the tree line, quickly followed by Embry and Paul who made an excuse and disappeared into the trees.

"Are you going to try and convince me you're not as perfect as you seem now?" Kim asked, cocking her brow and popping her hip.

"I'm about as far from perfect as you can get." He shrugged. "But before I tell you anything, you need to know that it can never go any farther than this house. I just need to ask you to give me a chance, okay?" Kim nodded and Jared sighed deeply.

"The Quileute legends describe us a 'Spirit Warriors', generations of men who possessed the power to remove their spirits from their bodies in order to protect the tribe. The years passed and a great Spirit Chief came to be." he began.

"Chief Taha Aki." Kim stated and Jared nodded.

"Taha Aki was a wise man, and when a man called Utlapa challenged the use of their powers and wanted to use them for gain, the chief banned him from the tribe and he hid in a nearby forest.

Occasionally Taha Aki would go into the mountains to a special place where he would leave his body and roam the area, but one day Utlapa followed him and took over his body, killing his own so that Taha Aki could not use it. He returned to the village and fooled the tribe into believing he was the chief as Taha Aki looked on. He decreed that no warrior was to enter the spirit realm again, afraid that they would discover his secret." Jared watched as Kim shifted on her feet.

"Jared, I know this story." Kim said. "Taha Aki ends up sharing the body of a wolf and returns to the village, where he transformed into a man resembling his spirit self, killed Utlapa and took back his rightful place as Chief. But what I don't know is why exactly you feel the need to tell me this?"

"The legend says that Taha Aki lived for a long time, fathering many sons who were also able to transform into wolves when they were old enough. Passing on a wolf gene, just like the gene for blue eyes or red hair. And it would have been passed down to their sons, and so on." Jared shrugged.

"Let me guess you're one of his sons!" Kim chuckled and shook her head.

"No, but one of my great grandfathers was." He said "And the gene was passed down, eventually going dormant for a few generations until it reached me."

"Are you serious!" She grinned, wide eyed. "It's a story Jared, nothing else!"

"It's not just a story Kim." he said quietly, waiting for her laughter to die down. "Most of the Quileute enemies have disappeared but one still remains. Cold Ones, Vampires."

"Oh this just keeps getting better!" She screeched, holding her stomach.

"A few years ago, a coven of vampires moved close to Quileute territory and the gene was reactivated in order to protect the tribe." He stated sternly.

"Oh my god! You are completely serious aren't you? You're a Spirit Warrior?" Kim exclaimed, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath and Jared nodded. "Well come one then Wolf boy, prove it! Show me your inner animal." She stood with her hip out and her arms folded, her eyebrow cocked and Jared stared open mouthed and wide eyed.

"That's what I thought." She hissed. "I actually believed you when you said that Rosa was lying, but then you bring me out here and tell me all these stories. I mean really Jared, werewolves? There are easier ways to get into a girls pants!"

"What?" He frowned shaking himself from his stupor. "I'm telling the truth, I…"

"Forget it Jared." Kim shook her head and turned to walk away. "Just leave me alone from now on, okay?"

Jared glanced back at the house as Sam appeared in the doorway, with Emily next to him, and gestured for him to go after her.

"I'll prove it!" He shouted and she whipped back around to face him, arms folded as she watched him expectantly.

"Go on then!" She prompted, walking towards him and he put his hand up, stopping her in her tracks.

"Just stay over there, I don't want to hurt you." He glanced back over at Sam. He'd moved a few feet closer to Kim.

Jared breathed deeply, feeling the familiar shiver in his muscles as his russet skin gave way to thick brown fur and within seconds he was towering over Kim's tiny frame. He watched as her face drained of colour, and her pupils dilated and he could see her pulse quicken under the flesh of her neck.

"You…You're…" She stammered before her eyelids fluttered shut and she fell backwards into Sam's waiting arms.

"Well at least she didn't run screaming." He shrugged, as the large brown wolf snorted.


	3. Chapter 3

"Jared, stop panicking!" Emily exclaimed as she continued to dab a wet cloth over Kim's forehead as she lay motionless on their small sofa. "She fainted and she didn't even hit the ground, she'll come around soon."

"I shouldn't have done it, I should have tried to explain it more rather than show her." Jared put his head in his hands. "I could have scared her to death!"

"Get over it; you can't change what's happened." Paul shrugged and then chuckled. "If I were you I'd be more worried about what'll happen when she wakes up and tries to run away. Glad it's not me, that's all I can say!"

"I think she's coming round." Emily noted softly and Kim began to stir. Jared listened as she mumbled incoherently and tried to push herself up; her level heart beat suddenly speeding up and her eyes popping open.

"Jared!" She yelped and pushed herself as far back in to the seat as she could go.

"I'm here," He said moving from behind Emily "I'm right here."

"But what about…and you were?" She stammered, frowning, her eyes darting all around his face.

"I know, I changed into a wolf." He grimaced and nodded and she let out a shuddering laugh.

"I thought it was a dream!" Kim slapped her hand to her forehead. "Oh my god, you can actually turn into a Wolf!"

"I'm not the only one." Jared informed her and her head shot up.

"There are more? Who?" She exclaimed.

Embry turned to her in his seat at the table, his tongue hanging from his mouth and panted and Paul growled before grinning wickedly.

"That's enough!" Sam scolded, trying hard to fight the smirk on his face. "There are four of us…so far."

"So far?" She frowned.

"We're expecting more," Jared shrugged "some of the other guys are showing signs."

"Oh god!" Kim slumped back in her seat. "I'm not sure I can deal with this!"

"Boys?" Emily said softly, dropping on the sofa and pulling Kim into her side. "Why don't you go for a run and I'll talk to Kim?"

"But I…" Jared started as Paul brushed past him to follow Embry outside.

"Come on Jared," Sam said sternly. "Em knows what it's like to find out about us, she can help her understand it a bit more than you can." And Jared nodded and walked after him, throwing glances back towards the sofa until the door slammed shut behind him.

"It's weird huh?" Emily smiled, rubbing Kim's arm and Kim nodded.

"That's one way of putting it, yeah!" She scoffed. " I just…I can't bring myself to believe it. All these years I've listened to my grandpa tell me the stories of the tribe, but not once did it ever occur to me that they could be real!"

"Well I didn't even know the stories so you've got one up on me there." Emily chuckled. "At least you have some idea what to expect!"

"How long have you known?" Kim asked turning to face her.

"Here drink this." Emily handed her a can of soda and folded her hands in her lap as Kim thanked her. "I've known about a year and half, since just after Sam changed for the first time."

"What was it like for you? I mean it has to be one hell of a shock finding out that your boyfriend is a werewolf!" She said swallowing from the can. "I don't think I could have handled that!"

Emily shook her head. "We weren't together then, I barely knew him. He was dating someone else at the time and I'd heard about him through them, but that was the extent of our relationship."

"Oh, sorry… I just assumed…"Kim stuttered.

"It's fine, no harm done." Emily smiled "When I first met Sam, I was visiting my Uncle and his family on the other side of the reservation. I'd been there a couple of days and I was at the front of the house helping my Aunt with something when he walked passed in all his half naked glory and he suddenly stopped…almost tripped on thin air, and just stared right at me.

Uncle Harry saw him through the window. He was a tribal elder and knew what Sam was, and he called me back inside and by the time I'd gone into the family room and looked out the window, he'd disappeared."

"Your Uncle is Harry Clearwater?" Kim asked raising an eyebrow and Emily nodded. "Did he tell you about Sam?"

"No, he wasn't allowed. Only… select people are allowed to know the truth about the protectors." Emily explained.

"So how did you find out?" She prompted, kicking off her shoes and tucking her feet under her.

"Well, remember I said Sam was dating someone else at the time?" Emily waited for Kim to nod and continued. "Well his girlfriend was my cousin, Leah. We were really close back then and she'd been telling me about him and how he'd been pretty elusive for the last month, avoiding her, and not answering her calls. She was pretty cut up about it and I was pretty angry with him for treating her like that.

After saw him outside the house that day, Harry watched me closely and one night he took me aside and warned be careful around Sam for the time being. I honestly had no idea what he meant but I thought that maybe it was because of the way he'd been treating Leah and I had no intention of going there and I told him as much."

"That obviously worked for you!" Kim grinned and Emily nudged her leg playfully.

"I started seeing him around more over the next couple of days." She continued. "I was at the market and he was there, sitting on the beach and he'd be down the other end just watching me. I should have been weirded out by it, angry even seeing as he hadn't even bothered to talk to Leah but, there he was stalking me and it made my stomach flutter in such a good way!."

Emily shrugged and stared into her lap. "Then something happened that changed my life for ever."

Kim frowned and Emily smiled crookedly at her and realisation crept in. "The bear?"

"No," She shook her head. "The wolf."

"Sam?" Kim frowned again, deeper this time. "He did this to you?"

Emily nodded. "It was an accident and as much my fault as it was his. I was putting the garbage out one night and I heard some rustling from the tree near the house so I went to look and he was standing there watching me again.

I lost my temper with him. I was angry with myself for reacting at him the way I did, when I knew that he was with someone else… my cousin of all people. He kept backing away from me, trying to tell me to keep back but, I ignored him and followed him deeper into the trees, pushing him and pushing him. He began to shake and all of a sudden it was like he exploded and where he had been standing this huge, black wolf appeared."

"Oh my god!" Kim exclaimed.

"I was standing too close. He phased on his hind legs and as he came down his claws caught my side." Emily unbuttoned her blouse and peeled back one side to reveal three jagged, purple lines that continued from her shoulder to her waist.

"The wolves are designed to destroy cold ones, their teeth and claws can cut through stone, so my skin was like butter against him. I spent three months in hospital, for one of those I was in a drug induced coma while the doctors repaired the torn skin and cleared up infection. When I woke up, Sam was there, sitting in the corner of the room as far away as he could be without leaving the room. I blamed him at first, I tried to hate him but he still stayed all day and night, never saying a word. One of the male nurses tried to make him leave once and Sam just stared down at him, refusing to move and that nurse never came back while he was still around." She chuckled softly at the last part.

"What happened?" Kim asked quietly.

"About a month before I was discharged, I slipped in the bathroom and popped some stitches. Sam heard me fall and carried me back to the bed before he went to call the nurse and they ended up having to re - do a whole section. It was agony.

But then Sam was there next to me, he held my hand while they put me back together and didn't even flinch when I dug my nails into his hand. From then on he stayed by my side and we eventually started talking and he told me about what he was and that he'd never meant to hurt me. I knew he meant it, I shouldn't have pushed the way I did, and I should have listened when he told me to stay back. He knew he was volatile, that was why he always stayed so far away from me, so this wouldn't happen." She smiled and shrugged.

"So you don't blame him?" Emily shook her head. "No I don't, but that doesn't mean he doesn't blame himself though."

"I just…" Kim sighed and twisted the ring pull of her can between her fingers. "How do you love the person who did that to you?"

"There are some things about the wolves that I don't have the right to tell you." Emily stated. "But what Sam and I have? It goes much deeper than love. Destiny, fate? Whatever you want to call it, we were inevitable…I have my flaws and he has his and together we're complete."

"I don't know if I could've done that?" Kim shook her head.

"You'll be surprised what you can do when you love somebody, just remember that okay?" Emily smiled and patted her knee. "What happened earlier, when Jared told you? It was a perfectly natural reaction and if circumstances had been different I probably would have laughed in Sam's face too! But you need to know that this, who they are, is extremely important them and Jared wouldn't have told you if he didn't think you were too. You mean a lot to him and you have to believe that."

Kim sighed "You know, up until an hour ago what you just told me would have been the highlight of my life! Ever since our first class together its always been him." She bent over to retrieve a note book from her bag , opened up the back page and handed it to Emily, a fierce blush spreading across her face as Emily chuckled.

The whole page was covered in hearts and scribbles "Kim Leavitt", "Mrs K. Leavitt", "Kimberly Leavitt".

Kim took back the book and hid it safely back in her bag. "But this changes everything, he's not who I thought he was."

"You're right, he's not." Emily agreed. "He's much more. I may not have painted the best picture of Sam, and I didn't mean to scare you by telling you what happened between us, but if he is anything like my Sam? Then you are one hell of a lucky girl. Sam isn't just my boyfriend he's my soul mate and my best friend, I think he knows me better than I know myself, I don't need or want for anything. He'd give me the world if he could."

"You really think that Jared could be like that? That we could have that?" She asked.

"If you want it." Emily shrugged. "But first you should talk to him, and maybe leave out the fainting this time! Why don't you go and find him? And I'll put some dinner together for you both."

Kim nodded and walked out of the house, her arms folded against the slight wind as she glanced around.

"Jared?" She whispered.

"Jared, where are you?" She gasped when a small rustle came from behind her and she span in it's direction, her eyes scanning the tree line. "Jared, is that you?"

A soft grunt pulled her eyes over to the shadows and she saw two beady wolf eyes staring back at her. Jared moved forward until she could see the front half of his body.

"This may take a while to get used too." She said softly, stepping toward him only for him to lower his head and back away. "Sorry... Can you change back?"

The brown wolf melted back into the shadows and she listened as the heavy breathing turned slightly lighter and was accompanied by a string of expletives before Jared almost tripped back into view, securing the drawstring on his shorts around his waist.

He looked nervously at her, running a hand through his short hair. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you earlier. I should never have changed in front of you it was reckless and dangerous and…"

"It's okay Jared, I'm okay." She smiled and stepped towards him, only this time he didn't move away. "What happened earlier was intense and overwhelming…and yes, a little scary! But in all honesty, who wouldn't scared by a huge wolf appearing out of nowhere?"

"You have a point." He nodded, "but I'm still sorry."

"I do have one question." She looked at the floor, running her bare feet across the cold grass. "We've been in the same classes for years, we've sat next to each other, been to the same parties and you've never spoken more than one word to me. Why now?"

"If I said it was because I was dumb, would you buy it?" He winced and chuckled dryly as she cocked her eyebrow at him and shook her head. "What I said at lunch, about you being perfect, I meant every word of it, I just never had they eyes to see it. But now? Now I would quite happily chew my own tail off for being so stupid, because you're everything I could ever want or need."

"Really?" She breathed, her arms dropping to her side.

"Yes really!" He exclaimed moving right in front of her. "There's another legend, a lesser known one, that says that when we find the person we're supposed to be with, the reaction will be instantaneous. Gravity will shift, she'll become the centre of our universe, we'll never see anyone else the way we see her and we'll do anything to make sure she has any and everything she wants or needs."

"A soul mate, like Sam and Emily?" Kim nodded.

"I didn't see you before." He said quietly. "But I do now."

"You mean…I'm your…" She stuttered. "We're soul mates!"

"That's one way of putting it, yeah." He nodded as she stared opened mouthed at him, and his hands grabbed at her waist just as her eyes and her legs gave way.

"Kim!" He knelt on the ground and pulled her into his lap. "Kim can you hear me?"

She groaned and opened her eyes. "You've gotta stop doing this to me, I don't think my heart can take it!" Jared scoffed as she sat up and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Me! You're the one that turns into a wolf and thinks I'm his soul mate." She pushed playfully at his chest.

"I don't think you are, I know you are." Jared whispered letting her slip from his grasp and she knelt on the ground in front of him.

"So where does this leave us?" Kim asked.

"Wherever you want," he shrugged. "Whatever you want is what I want. As long as you're happy, I'm happy."

"There is one thing I want." She said. "It's something I've wanted for a really long time, and I think now's a good a time as any."

"Sure, anything." Jared nodded.

"Good." Kim breathed and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pressing her lips against his.

Jared could hear her heart pounding in her chest as his lips moved against hers and his hands gripped her waist, smiling into the kiss.

"I've been waiting ages to do that!" Kim sighed.

Jared laughed. "Do it anytime you want."


	4. Chapter 4

It was a few hours later, when Emily finally had all the boys gathered around the table for dinner, with Kim squashed in between Paul and Jared, when a visible shiver ran through Sam's body and the three younger wolves turned to look at him.

Emily frowned and Kim startled when moments later the phone began to ring and Emily jumped up to pull it from its cradle, holding it firmly to her ear.

Kim could see the deep set concentration on Sam's face, and Emily merely nodded quietly and made small noises of acknowledgement at the apparently frantic voice on the other end of the line. She replaced the phone and turned to Sam who jumped on to his feet.

"I'm on it!" He said rounding the table to her and planting a kiss on her lips before looking back at the boys who stood ready and waiting.

"Jacob." Was all he said and they nodded in understanding. "Paul, Jared? You go around as close to the tree line as possible in case he panics again, Embry? You're coming with me; he's going to need a friend." And with that they were out the door.

Kim frowned and gasped, pushing her chair noisily backwards and racing to the door. "Jared! What's going on?" She yelled into the darkness and he came running back through trees.

"I promise I will tell you everything, but I really need to go." He exclaimed.

"When will you be back?" She whispered.

"Depends on how long this takes." He shrugged and his head whipped round as a howl ripped through the air. "Gotta go!" He leant forward and kissed her quickly then disappeared back into the trees.

Kim stood open mouthed, her fingers brushing her tingling lips as she tried to make sense of what just happened. Her attention was drawn when Emily leant against the porch, her arms folded across her chest.

"Jacob Black just phased in the middle of his family room." Emily smiled. "They've gone to calm him down and try to get him to phase back."

"Is it always like this?" Kim asked, her eyes returning to the dense forest.

"You get used to it." Emily shrugged. "Sam was out patrolling when Paul first phased. He'd been keeping an eye on a couple of the younger guys around the reservation, and he wasn't expecting Paul to go first but that boy has one hell of a temper on him and he literally exploded after an argument with the football coach. Jared was next, his change wasn't as intense, but he got in to a fight after school and it set the whole thing off."

"I remember that day." Kim nodded. "It was Kurt Woods who started it, it wasn't even a proper fight. Kurt pushed him and Jared retaliated but by the time someone got them apart he was shaking he was so angry. I don't think I'd ever seen him not smile until that day, let alone his temper? What about Embry?"

"Embry?" Emily raised her eyebrows and sank down onto an upturned bucket at the top of the porch steps. "He was unexpected. Sam wasn't even watching him."

"What? Why?" Kim frowned.

"His mom came here when she was pregnant; she was part of the Makah tribe. Everyone assumed she'd left the father back at their reservation. But when he phased it challenged everything." Emily explained. "There were no wolves in the Makah tribe, only the Quileute.

"So his father is…"She pushed.

"There are only three men who carried the bloodline that it could have been at the time, and they were all married. I have my own ideas on the matter, but it's not something we can openly talk about." Emily said sternly.

"So Embry is…someone's brother?" Kim asked and Emily nodded.

"It's a raw subject. It's between Sam's dad, Quil Junior and Billy Black." Emily shrugged. "Sam's the only one, who knows about the situation right now, but Jake's just changed and from the looks of things Quil's not far off, it could make it difficult."

"I guess." Kim chewed her bottom lip and watched Emily closely who smiled and shook her head.

"I'm not telling you!" She exclaimed throwing her hands up and walking back into the house.

"Oh come on!" Kim whined walking after her. "You can't just tell me something like that and leave me hanging! Are you sure his mom wasn't like, a really distant relative of someone? What about Paul and Jared's dads? "

"I'm Makah, remember?" Emily started clearing the table. "I know that family, their ancestry is deeply rooted back home, and Paul and Jared's fathers married in to the bloodline, and their gene comes from their mothers. Now help me wrap this food, they can re-heat it later."

Kim playfully huffed at a smirking Emily and grabbed the plastic wrap she held out for her. "Thanks for today. I'm not entirely sure I would have been able to get my head around it all if it had been left up to me and Jared."

"I'm sure you would have managed." She said dumping dishes into the sink. "But you're most defiantly welcome. It's nice to have another woman to talk to about all this stuff."

"No I really don't think I would have." Kim blushed as she put the covered plates in the fridge. "I'm finding him very…distracting."

"Oh really!" Emily grinned and when Kim's phone began to vibrate in her bag she was grateful for the distraction.

"Hello?" She answered listening to her mother's voice when it appeared on the other end of the line, "Sure mom, that's fine. No it's not a problem, I'll be back soon." She sighed ending the call and turning back to Emily.

"You gotta go?" Emily asked and Kim nodded.

"The babysitter called off sick and my mom needs to get to work, so I have to go look after my little brother." She shrugged, walking back towards the sofa to grab her school bag. "Will you let Jared know?"

"Sure." Emily "Do you need a ride?"

"No I'll be fine, my house isn't that far but, thanks." Kim stepped forward and Emily pulled her into a hug.

"Don't be a stranger, okay?" Emily squeezed her arm. "Come back whenever you want, even if the guys aren't here."

"Will do," She smiled and headed towards the door. "Bye."

* * *

Kim breathed a loud sigh as she flopped on the sofa and grabbed the T.V remote, having finally managed to wrestle her five year old brother from the bath, into his pyjamas and finally bed.

By the time she'd cleaned up the chaos of the bathroom and the mess left over from his dinner, darkness had fallen and she was exhausted.

She chuckled wearily at the comedy show on the screen and sunk down into the pillows, pulling the afghan from the back of the sofa and spreading it over her body, tucking her bare feet under a cushion at the other end. A large yawn rocked through her body and her eyes began to droop, and soon she was fighting to stay awake.

A loud knock had her jumping in her seat and she quickly rose to answer the door, her breath catching in her throat when she peeped out the window to see Jared standing there, waiting patiently.

"What are you doing here?" She asked breathlessly and he grinned.

"Hi to you too babe!" he chuckled playfully and she blushed.

"I'm sorry; I thought you were out helping Jacob I just wasn't expecting you at…" Kim glanced down at her watch "Twelve thirty! Really? I must have fallen asleep."

"Do you mind that I came?" Jared asked shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his sweats, something that Kim was beginning to notice was a nervous trait. "I just…I was kinda hoping you'd still be back at the house when we finished, but obviously…I just wanted to see you."

Kim smiled and gripped his arm, pulling him inside. "It's fine Jared. I kinda wanted to see you too. How's Jake doing?"

"He's doing great actually!" Jared exclaimed, throwing himself into the sofa. "Well at least with the whole shifting thing, the actual idea of being a wolf he's not so good with… Can I tell you a secret?"

"Secrets seem to be a running theme today." Kim shrugged. "Go ahead."

"Well Sam's not our true Alpha, Jake is." He told her. "His family name is the name of the true chief, but because Sam changed first he was automatically given the responsibility. When we managed to get Jake back on two legs, he offered him his place but he said no, that he wasn't ready for that responsibility."

"Wow," Kim cocked an eyebrow. "Was Sam okay with that?"

Jared nodded. "I think he was relieved." He shrugged. "I mean there's always a chance that someday Jacob might change his mind and challenge him for his place but, now that he's basically renounced his position it will be a full on fight."

"You want a drink?" Kim asked standing up only for Jared to catch her wrist and shake his head.

"Do you think maybe you could just sit with me?" He asked and Kim was unable to reign in the look of surprise that covered her face as she nodded and went to sit next to him, yelping in surprise when he tugged her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her.

Jared's eyes fell closed and he buried his face in the crook of her neck, taking deep breaths and she felt his whole body relax as he inhaled. She leaned into him, bringing her hand up to his cheek and brushing the pad of her thumb over the edge of his jaw.

"What's wrong?" She asked softly, pulling her head back to face him.

"You were gone." He mumbled. "We got back and you weren't where I left you. I thought that maybe you'd changed your mind about me, about us. I needed to see you, to make sure…

Then I remembered I didn't even know where you lived, and I had to track your scent across the reservation."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there." Kim smiled tipping his bowed head up to meet her eyes. "If I could have been I would have but my mom needed me back to look after my little brother."

"You have a little brother?" Jared asked and she nodded.

"His name is Alex, he's five." She grinned.

"I guess I have a lot to learn about you, huh?" He pursed his lips.

"There's not really that much to know." She shrugged. "I'm really not that interesting."

"I have to disagree," Jared smirked playfully. "I find you very interesting!"

"Jared!" She squealed as he tipped her off his lap and leaned over her, "What are you doing?"

Her questioned was answered when his lips pressed softly against hers, and she sighed moving hers against his, her hand finding the side of his neck as his tongue ran along the seem of her lips, silently begging entrance. A light moan escaped his mouth when her tongue met his and his fingers tangled into her hair as he shifted his body out from under her and rested his weight on his knees.

"Wanna tell me what's going on here?" A voice called from above them and Jared growled and pulled back, taking Kim in his arms and she balked, struggling from his grip at the sight of her mother.

"Mom!" She exclaimed. "I…It's not what it looked like?"

"Really?" Her mom cocked an eyebrow and folded her arms across her body. "So that wasn't you laying under a half naked man on my couch?"

"Mrs Catori, I'm sorry…" Jared started, but the snarl that came from her mouth stopped him.

"I didn't ask for your input!" She hissed, looking him over. "You should be ashamed of yourself, she's seventeen! Do you have a problem finding women your own age? Or are teenagers just easier to take advantage of?"

"Mom, this is Jared Leavitt, you know him, and he's in my class!" Kim's face flushed red as she glanced between her mother and Jared who stood stiff and trembling.

"I would never take advantage of your daughter." He said softly. "I could never…"

"Shhh it's okay." Kim said softly, running her hand down his arm and his trembling ceased immediately and he relaxed into her touch.

"No it's not okay!" Her mom shouted. "I thought I could trust you! You're supposed to be looking after your brother, not cavorting on my couch!"

"It was a kiss!" Kim exclaimed. "Nothing else happened."

"From what I saw it wasn't gonna stay that way." She replied. "I thought I brought you up better than bringing home random boys."

"He's not a random boy, mom!" Kim stamped her foot in frustration and Jared gripped her hand to calm her. "But you wouldn't understand!"

"Oh I understand perfectly." She shook her head. "You are grounded until I say other wise. You will come home straight from school, you will only be aloud out to work, no phone calls, no internet and you," She rounded on Jared. "Are forbidden to see my daughter, you got that?"

Kim's chest heaved at the pained look on Jared's face as he nodded. "Mom, please?" She begged.

"I have nothing more to say on the matter. Out…" She breathed, pointing towards the door, and Jared walked, shoulders slumped, out on to the porch with a final glance at Kim before the door slammed shut. "Go to your room."

Kim nodded, fat tears streaming down her cheeks as she ran up the stairs to her room and leaned against her door, softly clicking it shut as she sank to the floor with silent cries. In the distance she heard a howl, and she crawled across the floor and pulled herself up onto the window sill as she tried to stem the sobs. Her watery gaze fell on the shadows and she was sure she could just make out the silhouette of her wolf in the darkness.

* * *

The next morning Kim woke with sore eye's. Outside her room she could hear Alex chatting away to her mother and at the sound of her voice, last night came rushing back to her and her stomach rolled.

She pushed herself up from her bed, and brushed her hair out of her face before grabbing some fresh clothes and heading towards the bathroom. As she stood under the spray of the shower, she began to feel a little better but the ache in the bottom of her stomach gnawed away at her.

When she was dressed she padded softly into the kitchen and kissed Alex on the head as she bent down to grab her school bag.

"Morning sweetie." Her mom chirped cheerfully over her cup of coffee and Kim turned to her, eyebrows raised. "What?"

Kim scoffed in disbelief. "You're seriously going to pretend that nothing happened last night?"

"No," her mother shook her head. "I just know what I did was right, I can see that boy is nothing but bad news. One day you'll thank me."

"You have no idea what you're doing do you?" Kim growled. "You know nothing about him! He is nothing like dad, don't tar him with the same brush!"

"This has nothing to do you with that man." She scowled turning towards the sink.

"Could've fooled me!" Kim screeched wildly.

"I'm doing you a favour!" Her mother yelled facing her again.

"No, you're hurting me!" She exclaimed, her voice cracking once again. "I feel like I'm being torn apart from the inside."

"Oh don't be so melodramatic," The older woman scoffed "It's a high school crush, not the end of the world."

"You have no idea how wrong you are." Kim swallowed hard and headed towards the door, her mother calling out behind her.

"Straight home after school, the sitter will be watching you too from now on." She stated, rinsing her cup in the sink.

"I'm not a child." Kim snarled. "I refuse to be treated like one." She slammed the front door after her and ran across the reservation towards the school, her heart pounding with the exertion.

A she neared the front doors, her stomach flipped at the sight of Jared, standing there and she pushed her feet faster.

Jared just manage to drop his bag in time to catch her as she threw herself at him. His feet stumbled on the step and he fell backwards, taking her with him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" He whispered, running his fingers through her hair as he gripped her tightly and with each stroke she felt the ache dissipate, the sound of his heart calming her own.

"Why does it hurt this much?" Kim sobbed into his chest, as she clawed at his shirt desperately trying to mould herself into him. " Please don't let her keep my from you?"

"Never gonna happen."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This is fluffier than a bucket full of Bunnies! I'm off to work on my angst, enjoy! **

* * *

"You not going to eat?" Jared asked quietly, brushing Kim's hair back from her face as he sat straddling the bench outside the cafeteria.

"I'm not that hungry," She shrugged putting her fork down. "You want it?"

"Kim, I don't know what this is, some sort of hunger strike or whatever but you need to eat." He pleaded picking the fork up, stabbing at the pasta that filled her plate and holding it in front of her mouth. "Please?"

She scowled "I'm not a kid Jere, I don't….uff." her words were cut off by the fork being pushed into her mouth, and Jared grinned as she rushed to chew and swallow. "What did you do that for?" She exclaimed slapping at his arm. "Ouch!"

"Yeah, I wouldn't hit me if I were you. It'll hurt you more than me!" He chuckled, taking her hand and enveloping between his. "I haven't seen you eat since Tuesday at Em's, your stomach is growling so loud I could here it two classes down. Thanks to my brilliant idea the other night, the only time I get to see you is when we're here so I need you to _not_ get sick otherwise I won't be able to see you at all."

"Fine," Kim huffed shoveling up some food "I guess you have a point."

"Any sign of your mom letting up on the whole grounding thing?" He asked as she ate and she shook her head. "Do you think me talking to her might help?"

"For you to talk to her, you'd actually have to get her to listen." Kim cocked an eyebrow. "I'm her daughter and she won't listen to me, so I think it's unlikely."

Jared nodded and began to fidget in his seat. "Did I ever tell you that, when we're in wolf form we share our thoughts?"

"You do?" Kim asked around a mouthful of food and he nodded.

"Its how we communicate seeing as we can't actually talk. We can see what the others are seeing, share feelings, memories…" He trailed off. "I was patrolling with Paul last night, and he mentioned that he ran past your house on the way back home Wednesday morning, that he heard you have another argument with your mom."

Kim nodded, suddenly interested in the table top so he continued. "What did you mean when you said that I was nothing like your dad?"

"He just wasn't that nice, wasn't around much, and when he was they were always arguing or shouting but he was never violent, at least not that I saw. One day I came home from school, my mom was really pregnant with Alex and she was throwing out all his stuff." She chuckled dryly "Turns out he was leading a double life. When he wasn't with us he was in Abbotsford with his first wife and their family, I have two brothers who I've never met. My mom told the other woman but I guess she didn't care because she took him back, and we haven't seen him since…Well he came the day after Alex was born but apart from that nothing."

"That kinda…sucks!" Jared balked. "Two families?"

"Yeah, so I guess she finds it hard to trust guys any more." She shrugged. "Well any guy that isn't Alex but, he's five, the most he's gonna lie about is whether he washed behind his ears or not… I just wish she'd give you a chance."

"Forget about it okay, as long as you know I'm not that guy then we're good." He smiled leaning forward to press a kiss to her lips. A low howl ripped through the air and Jared stood from his seat, the momentum almost sending Kim flying backwards. "Wait here."

Kim watched as she ran around the back of the schoolhouse and out of sight. She jumped up, gathering the books he'd left on the table and ran after him finally spotting his shirt hanging from a tree.

"What are you doing?" Jared hissed from somewhere behind her, and she span to find him peeking out from behind a tree.

"I just…" She trailed off, her eyebrows shooting up as her eyes roamed his chest. "Just wanted to know what was going on!" She finished with a squeak and blushed when she looked back at his face and found him grinning from ear to ear.

"Jacob was on patrol and he caught the scent of a vampire on our territory. Sam wants me back." Jared explained, still smiling.

That was enough to grab Kim's attention. "You're leaving me here?"

"I don't have a choice! I have to do what Sam tells me, you know, alpha's orders can't be ignored." He exclaimed.

"Well…can I come with you? Can you drop me at Emily's?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"I don't have a car and I really need to go." He threw his arms up.

"You can give me a ride." Kim sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. "Phase and I'll get on your back."

"Nope, no way." He shook his head. "Not gonna happen…Don't look at me like that!"

"Jared! You can't just leave me here on my own," She pouted "this is the only time we get to spend together."

"It's not that I don't want to, I just can't, I don't...Did Emily talk to you about her scars?" He asked and she nodded. "That's why, I can't take the chance that I could do something like that."

"But I know you won't, I trust you." She walked towards him. "Didn't you tell me that you would do anything to make me happy?"

"Yeah." Jared groaned and knelt down, grabbing his clothes from at his feet. "Fine, but you don't move. No wiggling, no tickling don't even breathe unless you absolutely have to. And put these in your bag."

He threw her the clothes and disappeared behind the tree as she shoved his belongings into her backpack and put it on.

Kim gasped softly as Jared's light brown wolf padded back into view and sat back on his haunches.

She walked slowly towards him and reached out her hand, pushing her fingers through the course fur at his neck. "You're beautiful, you know that?"

Jared snorted and shook his large head, before he sank to the floor and waited for her to climb onto his back. He felt her fingers grip the hair at his chest, her knees clamp down on his torso and her head rest behind his ears.

"Ready when you are." She whispered and he gingerly rose to his feet and set off in a trot towards Emily's house.

"You don't have to be so slow, I'm not gonna fall." Kim chuckled and grinned mischievously "Or do you run like this all the time? Not nearly as impressive as I was expecting!" She felt a growl rumble under her fingertips and then he was running flat out. Her eye's watered and the tree's went by in a blur and she couldn't help the manic giggle that ripped through her as she tightened her grip.

Within minutes she found herself outside the little house, her heart pounding against her chest as she slipped from his back and stood in front of him. "That was amazing!" She exclaimed throwing her arms around his wide neck and buried her face into the fur and the wolf lowered his head, inhaling her scent. "I'll be right here when you get back. I promise."

* * *

Jared pressed his nose gently against her face earning a little giggle and spied Emily grinning at them through the kitchen window.

"_Dude, come on already_!" Embry growled and Jared quickly turned tail and darted back into the dense forest, his paws pounding against the ground as he searched for his brothers.

"_What we got_?" He asked and Embry ran through Jacob's memory, the sickly sweet scent that burned his nose almost as much as if it were him smelling it and a flash of orange between the trees.

"_It's female_," Jacob's voiced joined them. "_Red hair keeps playing over the boundary lines. I think she's figured out we're here. She's testing us, seeing how far we'll go to catch her_."

"_Any bodies?_" Jared spotted Jacob's red fur a few hundred feet in front of them.

"_No bodies, but there have been some hikers reported missing. Paul found some unattended camp fires and back packs…some blood too. I think it's safe to say that she's feeding in the area_."

"_Wait!_" Embry skidded to a stop, his grey paws digging into the dirt. "_You smell that_?"

All three wolves stood and sniffed at the air, and Jacob growled. "_That's not her, there's another one._"

"_Chill, they're still out numbered!_" Jared yipped. "_It's about time we got a good fight out of this dea_l."

"_Jared_!" Sam's voice echoed between them. "_What took you so long_?"

He ran along side Embry and let the memories of the past hour run through his mind.

"_Are you sure that was a good idea_?" Sam asked when he envisioned Kim on his back.

"_Well she's still in one piece isn't she_?" Jared exclaimed. "_She's back at the house with Emily, as we speak_."

"_Why did you do it?_" The alpha pushed and he couldn't help but show the memory of her talking him into it.

"_Oh shit, she's got you house trained already_!" Embry cackled.

"_Whipped_!" Jacob scoffed and Jared growled.

"_You wanna talk whipped Jake? How's Bella Swan?_" He sneered and saw Jacob turn back towards him.

"_Enough!_" Sam bellowed passing him, "_Just be careful if you do it again. Come on we've got some leeches to burn._"

Almost five hours and a dead scent trail later, the four wolves emerged from the forest outside Emily's house and Jared waited impatiently until Kim had emerged carrying his clothes.

"Any luck?" She asked turning her back to him as he phased and pulled on his jeans.

She jumped a little when his arms enveloped her waist and the length of his body pressed against her back.

"Just scent trails." He murmured against her neck, and she shivered in response. "There's rain coming so they'll be washed away soon enough, and we'll look for fresh ones."

Kim span to face him, her arms threading around his neck as she rested her forehead against his. "I missed you." She smiled letting her eye fall shut. "When you're gone, I fell like I missing a part of me. Is that how it's supposed to feel?"

Jared's hands left her waist and wove into her hair, gently pushing her head back to look up at him. "I feel it too. But just remember that I'll always come back, I'll always be right where you need me to be."

His mouth connected with hers and everything around them dissolved. This kiss was different to the innocent kisses of days passed or the carried away kisses her mother had walked in on. It ignited a slow burn, deep within his chest and warmth that seemed to spread between them.

Kim's grip on his neck tightened and she felt her feet leave the floor. Her teeth grazed against the swell of his bottom lip and his tongue flicked out to meet hers.

"Oh, damn!" Emily's voice broke through their veil and Kim pulled away panting, her cheeks flushing red. "Sorry, I should've called out or something I didn't realize you were…Sorry!" She exclaimed, running back into the house.

Jared chuckled and squeezed Kim against his vibrating chest. "Wow! That was…"

"Humiliating?" Kim mumbled against his skin, shaking her head.

"Actually, I was gonna say amazing." He cocked his eyebrow and grinned as a pained look crossed her face.

"Shit, sorry I thought you were talking about Emily." She chewed her lip. "No that was…you were…I'll just shut up now!"

Jared chuckled and lifted her chin and pressed his lips against hers. "Don't worry about it, trust me I know way more about Sam and Emily's relationship than I'd care too, and getting caught kissing is no where near as bad as what those two have done."

"How would you know?" Kim frowned and Jared pointed to his head. "Oh, OH! Eww, you can actually see that?"

"It takes a while to learn how to shield the thoughts you don't want seen." He chuckled. "Now let's get you home. I'm guessing you'll be in enough trouble as it is seeing as you were due home from school hours ago."

Kim let Jared twist his fingers with hers. "Wait what about my bag?"

"I'll walk to school with you in the morning, I'll bring it then." He shrugged.

When they reached Kim's house, her mother was waiting at the door, tapping her foot on the floor.

"What time do you call this?" She exclaimed, moving aside in a silent command for her daughter to enter.

Kim checked her watch. "Sorry mom, the afternoon kinda got away from me."

"I'll bet it did." She hissed scowling at Jared.

"Hi, Mrs. Catori." He nodded and smiled and she merely cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I wasn't with Jared," She sighed. "I was at Emily Young's house on the other side of the rez. I was helping her with dinner and we got talking. Jared works with her boyfriend after school and he walked me home."

"You need to come in; I'm already late for work as it is. The food won't serve itself you know." Her mom crossed her arms over her chest and watched as Kim molded herself against Jared.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He whispered, kissing the top of her head. "Bye baby."

"Bye Jere," She turned towards the house. "Don't forget my bag…Wait!"

She heard her mother huff as Jared stopped and waited for her to reach him. She rose on to her tiptoes, her hands flat against his bare chest as she pressed one final kiss to his lips.

"Kim, come on!" Kim smiled despite her moms tone and skipped back towards the house, ignoring the glare that she threw at both her and Jared before slamming the door.

* * *

"Hey Em, can ask you something?" Jared enquired, leaning against the sink as Emily busied herself putting plates away. "Did Kim tell you about what happened on Tuesday night?"

Emily cringed as she closed the cupboard. "About her mom walking in on you two on the couch? Yeah she told me. Why?"

"Kim told me something, about her dad, which may be the reason she doesn't like me…" He edged before Emily snorted and cut him off.

"You mean it's something other than the fact that you had her teenage daughter pinned underneath you?" She cocked an eyebrow and Jared blushed.

"Go ahead, laugh!" He growled. "It'll never be as bad as when Sue found you and Sam desecrating Harry's workbench!"

Emily's mouth dropped open. "How did you…never mind! What did you want to ask?"

"Do you think if I spoke to her, Mrs. Catori, that she might be more willing to give me a chance?"

"Well what will you say? It's not like you can come right out and tell her you're a wolf who just so happened to imprint on her daughter." She shrugged and Jared sighed.

"I know, I just thought that maybe it would help." He picked his fingers.

"If you think it will help, then do it. The worst she can do right now is refuse to listen." Emily stood and patted his shoulder.

Jared nodded. "Well I guess I'll be off. Have you seen Kim's bag? She left it here earlier." Emily pointed to the edge of the sofa and He picked and waved goodbye.

When he got outside he stopped for a moment before darting into the trees, putting his jeans back into Kim's bag and phasing.

He held the backpack between his teeth and headed towards town.

"_Where are you off to?_" Paul's voice questioned.

"_The diner, Kim's mom works night shift. I was thinking maybe I could talk to her while she's closing up_." He replied as the main road came into view.

"_Well good luck, you're gonna need it_!" Paul scoffed before Jared shifted back onto two legs.

He pulled his jeans and sneakers back on and was rummaging through her bag to find his shirt when one of her books caught his eye.

Jared tugged the shirt over his head and grabbed the book, smiling to himself as he walked along side the road opposite the diner, reading his name written inside hearts,

"Kimberly Leavitt, huh?" He grinned.

His head snapped round as a loud crash came from the diner, followed by a string of curses and he stuffed the book back in the bag and dashed across the street.

"Mrs. Catori?" He called peering into the still lit restaurant. "It's Jared, are you okay?"

Jared watched as Kim mom appeared from the kitchen, a towel wrapped around her hand as she fumbled with the lock.

"What do you want?" She scowled.

"I heard a bang is everything alright?" He asked eyeing her hand.

"Yeah, I dropped a tray of glasses and cut my hand." She said waving it in his face and he could smell the blood.

"You need any help cleaning up?" Jared edged. "And you can get a band-aid on that."

She nodded and opened the door wide enough for him to pass. In the kitchen she pointed out the dust pan and brush and told him where to put the glass before grabbing the first aid box and sitting at the counter, watching him through the pass.

"How long have you and Kim been together?" She asked suddenly and he shot up, hitting his head on the underside of the counter.

"Not long, we've known each other for years though." He shrugged, rubbing the back of his head.

"I know. Your mom looked after her for a year when I went back to work. You were a couple of months older than her." She scoffed. "The amount of times I came to pick her up, and found her covered in paint and dirt. Once I even had to cut one of your battery powered trains out of her hair after you'd got it stuck in there."

"I don't remember any of that!" He exclaimed tipping some glass into a bin.

"Well you wouldn't, like I said you were young and then your mom had your sister and she couldn't look after all three of you so I put her in day care." She pursed her lips as she pushed a ban aid over the small cut in the palm of her hand. "Even back then I could see that she was drawn to you. As soon as she was crawling she'd follow you around the house, get into everything you would do and let you do anything to her. You gave her permanent marker spots just before her second birthday and they wouldn't come off. I have the pictures from her birthday party to prove it!"

Jared chuckled and put the dustpan back where he'd found it and she continued. "Why do I get the feeling it wasn't just chance you walked past tonight?"

"Because it wasn't." He shrugged, rounding the counter and sitting a couple of stools away from her. "I came to talk to you. I wanted to apologize for the other night, I never intended to go that far and you have to believe me when I say I would never push her into anything she didn't want to do.

She, uh, she mentioned her father to me this morning. And I just wanted you to know that I could never do that to her."

"Jared, you're seventeen, you have no idea what you'll do in the future…" She chuckled dryly and Jared shook his head.

"Forgive me, Mrs. Catori, but you have no idea who I am." He sighed. "And my future is with your daughter. Where ever she is? What ever she's doing? I'll be right there along side her, protecting her, making sure she has everything she needs. I may not be able to give her the world, but I'm damn well gonna try.

I can't promise that she'll always be happy with me, or that I'll never hurt her, but I can promise that it will never be my intention to do either of those things."

"Those are big promises for a kid." She said pushing herself from her stool and reaching behind the counter for her bag and keys. She flicked the light switch and plunged the diner into darkness as she waited for Jared to follow her from the building. "Do you need a ride home?"

Jared shook his head and shoved his hands into his pocket. "My cars around the corner." He lied as he stepped further into the small parking lot and his eyes fell on the discarded back pack. He picked it up and handed it to Kim's mom. "She left this at Emily's earlier, I was gonna return it in the morning but…Bye Mrs. Catori."

"You can call me Pam," She called after him and he turned to face her, eyebrow raised in surprise. "It's Alex's birthday tomorrow. We're having a small party, mostly other five year olds and family but if you'd like too you're welcome to come."

"I'd like that!" Jared grinned. "Thank you Mrs.…Pam."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than previous and a bit of a filler if I'm honest, I've been really struggling with all of my story lines recently so this may be the last update for a while. As always reviews are greatly appreciated and huge thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review already.**

* * *

"I'm guessing that's not how you wanted to spend your Friday night away from the pack?" Kim grimaced, Jared swinging their hands in between them as she followed him on to the porch and down the small steps. "And I'm really sorry about Alex getting all his friends to dog pile you, I'm pretty sure my mom had something to do with it!"

"Hey I was just happy to be there!" He smiled squeezing her hand lightly, turning to face her where she stood on the top step bringing her forehead in line with his nose. "And your mom can set all the five year olds on me that she wants, you're not getting rid of me that easy!"

"Are you volunteering for babysitting duties then Jared?" Kim's mom called, tugging an overstuffed trash bag through the door.

"If I get anymore time off work, I'll be more than happy to Pam." Jared smiled, jumping up the steps and grabbing the bag from her hand and depositing it in the trash can on the other side of the porch.

"You work?" She asked cocking an eyebrow.

"Well if you actually took the time to talk to him rather than bribing Alex with candy to jump all over him, you'd know that already." Kim exclaimed with a grin.

"I did not bribe your brother with candy!" She protested. "It was ice cream."

Jared chuckled. "Yes ma'am, I work with Sam Uley and a couple of other guys from the reservation. It's, uh…" He stammered.

"Security!" Kim blurted. "Sam's starting up his own security business around the rez. Well it's kinda security and…"

"Wildlife management." He offered. "Hell, if your car breaks down we'll fix that too!"

"I'll keep that in mind." Pam crossed her arms over her chest. "Wildlife management huh? You know anything about those giant wolves people keep seeing around here?

"Wolves?" Jared blanched, eyes wide.

"Mom!" Kim chuckled nervously. "Giant wolves? Seriously? Like there are wolves around here, come on!"

"I'm only repeating what Joan Ryder told me when I saw her at the diner yesterday before her shift ended." She shrugged. "Apparently her son was out running on Wednesday evening after school and he saw a couple of them. A huge black one and I think she said the other was grey and spotty…sounds like an overgrown Dalmatian if you ask me!"

Jared barked a laugh. "Embry's gonna love that!" He whispered in Kim's ear and she giggled. "We have heard about the wolves, from what we can gather they're pretty harmless but we have been tracking something dangerous so if you could let your friend know that it's not safe for her son to run out there."

Pam nodded. "I'll do that. Are you leaving?"

"Yeah unless you need help cleaning up?" He asked.

"It's nothing I can't handle." She said turning her head towards the door when Alex bellowed for her. "Have her home before midnight, or you won't be allowed within one hundred yards of her outside of school, understand?"

Kim's face lit up. "Really? I'm not grounded?"

"Midnight, Cinderella." Pam exclaimed waving them off and disappearing back into the house.

"Wow! I wonder what changed her mind all of a sudden?" Kim frowned stepping down next to him and leaning in to his side, his arm coming up around her shoulders. "First she invites you to the party and then she un-grounds me…whatever it is I like this side of her!"

"Well maybe she realized that I'm not such a bad guy after all, huh?" Jared grinned, pressing a quick kiss to her lips when she tilted her head up to look at him.

"You said something to her, didn't you?" She smirked up at him and he shook his head.

"No I haven't!" He insisted. "Like I would get the chance to anyway, I patrolled for hours after I left you last night."

"Yeah but you dropped my bag off at the diner, she told me you did." She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Okay fine!" He huffed. "I may have spoken to her about…us while I dropped your bag off but, it worked didn't it?"

Kim nodded and sucked her lip in between her teeth. She tugged the back of his t-shirt to get him to stop walking and stood in front of him, her hands threading around his waist and down into the back pockets of his jeans. "So what did you say exactly?"

"Oh no that's between me and your mom!" He exclaimed resting one hand on her waist and bringing the other to her neck.

"That sounds all kinds of wrong." She grimaced and then pouted. "Come on, tell me! Please?"

"Nu-uh." He shook his head, grinning as he lowered his mouth to hers and she shivered at the minimal pressure.

His tongue ran over the spot on her lower lip that she had been biting, sucking it softly between his own lips. The hand at her waist brought her tightly against him, his knees bent so that she didn't have to contort her body to reach him.

"Jere…" She breathed pulling her mouth away, only for him to duck back down and ease his tongue between her parted lips, he jumped back in surprise when he felt Kim pinch hard at his butt. "Stop trying to distract me!"

"Come on babe, you know a magician never reveals his secrets?" He smirked down at her and she cocked an eyebrow.

"Just because you can pull a wolf out of your ass doesn't make you a magician Jared Leavitt." She exclaimed, her whole hand squeezing his cheek through the denim and she was unable to fight the grin that spread across her face or the little skip her heart did when he growled playfully at her.

"You should start running now!" He said, his voice low as he looked down at her through his lashes and she squealed and broke into a run, heading towards the darkening beach. "Ready or not, here I come."

Jared sprinted after, purposefully refraining from going his full speed to keep her ahead of him and he could hear her giggling wildly, the sound carried by the wind. He vaguely registered passing Seth and Leah Clearwater, the latter of the two scoffing almost disgustedly at their antics.

The beach was dark and he knew Kim would have been running pretty much blindly by now. He stopped and listened for her footsteps but only heard the water lapping at the beach. His eyes scanned the darkness, a muffled giggle drew his attention to a large rock to his left and he could make out the top of her head bobbing over the top of it.

He crouched low taking careful footsteps towards where she was hiding, cold sand trickling down the back of his shoe.

"Boo." He whispered and she fell, giggling manically onto her ass. She scrambled to her feet and managed a few more feet up the beach before Jared appeared in front of her, grabbing her and dragging her to the floor, twisting so that his body to the brunt of the fall and she lay hiccupping with laughter above him.

Jared carded his fingers through her hair, pulling it back from her face as she stared down at his smiling face. He lifted his head up and kissed her, before settling back into the sand.

"I told her the truth." He smiled softly as she frowned down at him. "I told her that while I could never promise I wouldn't hurt you, I would never do it intentionally and that any future I have is with you because you _are _my future."

Kim placed a hand on his chest above his heart and rested her chin on top of it. "You really said all that?"

He nodded. "My whole world is in your hands, I'd be nothing without you now."

"That's a lot to throw at a girl after a week." She mumbled, her eyes searching his. "Are you sure it's me you want?"

"What are you talking about? Of course I'm sure!" He snorted.

"I'm serious, Jared!" She pushed herself up, straddling his waist. "What if you're wrong and I'm not supposed to be the one your with? How do you know that you won't look at some other girl and feel ten times what you did when you first saw me?"

She yelped as Jared flipped there positions, one leg nestling between hers. "Damn it Jared! Now there's sand in my pants! You're such a…"

"Shut up!" Jared commanded and her mouth snapped shut. "Now you listen to me and you listen to me good. I like who I am, I would go so far as to say that my life is pretty fucking great right now and in the past four months I've gained a whole new family that I would give my life for without question. But the best thing to come out of this? Is you.

When I first found out about imprinting I couldn't help but think how weird it was, but then I could see how Sam and Emily worked together and I wondered if I would ever have that."

He sighed. "I don't worry that you're not the one for me because I don't have too, I know you are and I knew it from the second I looked at you that day. The only regret I have about us is that we could have happened years ago but I was to damn blind to see it. Of course the flipside of that is that have no idea what I would have done knowing that I couldn't tell you the truth about who I am and that I could imprint on someone because I can't imagine anyone more perfect for me than you!"

Kim stared up at him, wide eyed as he finished talking, her hands gripping his biceps with a force that probably would have bruised anybody else. She pulled him down, his body weight pressing her further into the sand as his mouth crashed into hers and his hand trailing from her hip up the side of her body to tangle in her hair.

"If I have to tell you that everyday," he murmured, kissing the length of her jaw. "then that's what I'll do until you believe every word I say."

"I believe you!" She breathed gripping the back of his head as he attacked her throat. "I believe you."

Jared's mouth left her body and he sighed, dropping his forehead to her heaving chest and the sound of her erratic heartbeat filling his ears. He blew out a breath against her sweat dampened skin and she shuddered underneath him.

"Come on." He whispered finding her hand and pushing himself up and onto his feet, pulling her with him. "Let's get you somewhere warm."

She curled into his side as he led them back along the beach, with him occasionally leaving kisses on the top of her head, the soft glow of Sam and Emily's lights coming into view in the distance.

"So I have a little confession." Jared winced and Kim looked up expectantly at him. "When I ran to the diner last night, I stashed my clothes in your bag and when I pulled them out I saw your note book."

Kim flushed red and buried her head under his arm, immediately knowing which book he was talking about. "Oh my god! You're not supposed to know about that…what the hell were you doing going through my stuff?" She gritted her teeth and slapped at his arm.

"Hey!" He chuckled grabbing her hand and holding it at his waist. "I didn't go searching for it, the page was open. I'm sorry baby, I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"I know." She pursed her lips, and shrugged. "Guess you'll just have to make it up too me?"

"That I can do." Jared grinned, lifting her from the ground. Suddenly his face changed and his head whipped towards the house. "Damn it! What the hells he done now?"

"What are you talking about?" Kim asked as Jared set her back on her feet and pulled her along quickly.

"Jake!" He growled bursting through the door to find Jacob surrounded by the rest of the pack and Embry holding Paul back. "What the fuck have you done now?"

"It's none of your damn business Jared!" Jacob hissed before turning to Sam. "I didn't disobey you!"

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Jared exclaimed as Emily took Kim's hand and pulled her towards the kitchen.

"He told Bella Swan about us!" Paul growled, lunging for him.

"Paul calm down!" Sam demanded, his eye's never leaving Jake. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"I didn't do anything wrong and I didn't tell her about you." Jacob protested.

Embry turned to Jared, loosening his grip on Paul's arm. "He found a bit of a loop hole in Sam's order to not tell anyone about the pack. Apparently he shared some of our legends with her last year and he went over her house tonight to remind her about them."

"Are you stupid!" Jared balked. "The girl runs with vampires, if she tells them about us…"

"They're not here anymore though, are they?" He growled in response. "They left her. They broke her and they left her to pick up the pieces. I couldn't lie to her, I…"

Paul laughed dryly. "You want to get into her pants, don't you? That's what this is all about isn't it?" He sneered. "You want the vampires sloppy seconds!"

Jacob began to shake uncontrollably and Paul crouched. "Get out of my house!" Sam said firmly and both boy's ran for the door, barely making it across the threshold before they burst from their skin and landed in a vicious heap on the ground.

Kim watched wide eyed through the kitchen window as they ran, jaws snapping towards the tree line with Sam following them.

"Why do I get the feeling this is gonna be a regular occurrence with those two?" Embry sighed and Jared nodded in agreement. "We'll be back, come on Jere."

Jared smiled apologetically at Kim as toed off his sneakers, yanking his shirt up over his head and throwing it on the back of the chair as he brushed past her.

"What the hell just happened?" Kim frowned, turning to Emily who shrugged.

"Jake's been hanging around with Bella Swan all summer." She said opening the fridge. "She was involved with one of the Cullen's, the vampire coven that lived on the other side of the forest. A few months ago they left and she didn't take it so well. Then she started hanging around with Jake, they were pretty much inseparable and from what Sam's seen in Jake's head he fell for her…hard.

When he phased, Sam gave him an order to not tell anyone about what he was or about the pack but he found a way around it."

"But if the Cullen's are gone, is it that bad that she knows?" Kim asked.

"The Wolves and the Vampires are natural enemies, it's why the guys are what they are. There's no guarantee that the coven will stay away or what they'll do if they come back." She pursed her lips and sighed, picking up a plate and holding it out to her. "Guess we'll have to wait and see what happens! You want some cake?"

Kim took the plate and pulled out a chair, humming with satisfaction as she put the first bite in her mouth. "So what happens if the Cullen's come back?"

"The Cullen's aren't like other vampires, they only consume animal blood. I believe they call themselves vegetarians." Emily explained. "It's not the first time they've lived in forks and the tribe has a long standing treaty with them, but they have new members and we have new wolves. If they so much as step an inch over the boundary between our territories then the wolves will attack and that could quite possibly lead to one hell of a fight."

"What do you mean, one hell of a fight?" Kim asked, her tongue creeping out to swipe the chocolate frosting from the corner of her mouth.

"It'll be a fight to the death." She replied softly, her eyes refusing to meet the younger girls momentarily before she pushed a crocked smile onto her face. "But the Cullen's aren't here and a couple of nomads are no match for our boys, right?"

"Right." Kim smiled and pushed away her plate, suddenly not hungry anymore.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I decided to exercise my creative license a little more with this chapter so hopefully it'll all work out. Enjoy!**

* * *

Kim didn't mind Bella that much. Since she'd turned up at the reservation the day after Jake 'reminded' her about the wolf legends, she'd pretty much became another permanent fixture in Emily's kitchen and although Kim found her somewhat introverted when Jake wasn't around and thought her slightly selfish, they were amicable.

Well, at least until she decided to go running back to her vampire.

The day Alice Cullen returned to Forks, a lot of things changed for the pack, but most noticeably the death of Harry Clearwater. The combination of grief and a vampire presence became a catalyst.

Ten minutes into Harry's funeral ceremony, Quil Jr stood shaking from his chair and Old Quil looked on, oddly proud as Sam and Embry dragged him outside and away from the congregation. Jared had told Kim that night that Quil was the only one who was truly happy to become what he had.

Two days later Bella Swan came back with the rest of the Cullen's in tow and by the end of the week the most unexpected change occurred. A girl joined the pack along with her barely teenaged brother.

Seth Clearwater had accidentally dropped the cup he was drying- Harry's favorite, and Leah had literally vibrated out of her skin in anger, leaving a considerable hole in the exterior wall of their family home and Seth had followed, worried for his sister and their mother stared, dumbstruck as two wolves disappeared into the trees.

In the months that followed, the pack went on high alert. Bella still insisted on stringing Jacob along and he was letting her, seemingly unable to let her go even after she informed him that graduation would mark the end of her human life and subsequently the end of the treaty

That was when Kim started to hate her.

Ever since her conversation with Emily, the day Jacob had told Bella what he was, fear had burrowed deep into her chest. Fear of the unknown, the unexpected, the possibility of loosing him…all because of one selfish girl, and she'd told Jared as much.

"Babe," He'd smiled softly, pulling her into his lap. "There's no guarantee it will even happen and even if it does? We got it, it'll take more than a few leeches to take us out and there's no way I'd give up that easily when I've got you waiting for me."

He'd punctuated his words with a knee weakening kiss, and it had placated her for a while until she'd learned that instead fighting the Cullen's, the pack would be standing with them against an army of newborns that had coincidently appeared around the time the murder rate in Seattle began to rise.

The night of the packs first 'strategy' with the vampires, Jared turned up at her house while her mother was at work.

"You can't do this." She begged quietly, poking her head through Alex's door to make sure he was still sleeping before dragging Jared into her room. "You said it yourself Jared, it's an army. You'll be outnumbered, what if something happens? What if you…"

"You're lack of faith in me is disturbing." Jared cocked an eyebrow. "I kill vampires Kim, it's what I was born for, it's what I'm designed to do and it's who I am. If the rest of the pack wants to stand with the Cullen's then I will too, you're gonna have to accept it."

"I can't accept it, I won't!" She exclaimed. "You once told me that I was your future, that you would be nothing without me. Well the same applies for me, Jared; I'll be nothing if I loose you. I can't let you do this."

Jared sighed and shook his head. "It's not your choice baby." He toed her carpet with his sneaker, "I gotta go, I have to meet the guys and…"

"Fine leave!" Kim cut him off and his eyes widened. "Go on, go train or whatever it is you're gonna do but don't come back to me until it's done. I don't want to see you until it's over."

"Kim!" He began to protest but she shook her head and stopped him.

"No. I can't sit back and watch." Kim wrapped her arms around herself, her body trembling with the effort it was taking not to break down in front of him. "I can't sit waiting and wondering if each time you leave me will be the last time I see you. You can tell me as many times as you want that you're stronger, or faster or that you heal, but you're not invincible. There will always be a chance that…that you won't come back and I'm not ready to face that yet."

"Please Kim, don't do this? Not now." Jared pleaded, stepping towards her without stretched arms and she had to fight the need to fall into them.

"You made your choice." She whispered moving out of reach, her eye's barely managing to meet his for fear of forgetting everything she'd said as soon as she looked into them. "You should go now."

He stared at her, his mouth open as she grabbed the handle of her door and pulled it wide, hiding behind it as he walked out. She listened as the front door opened and slammed shut and Alex shouted out from his room.

"It's okay Alex," She forced a watery smile and pushed open his door, finding him sitting wide eyed in his bed. "The wind blew the front door shut; I didn't mean to wake you."

Alex nodded and slid back under his comforter, his breath catching in his throat as a howl echoed around the house. "It's a monster!" He exclaimed.

Kim chuckled and walked over to him, perching herself on the side of the bed. "It's not a monster, its wolf and don't worry you're perfectly safe in here."

"No I'm not!" The little boy insisted, burrowing further down the bed. "Joel at school said that there are big wolves that live in the trees and they come out at night and eat you!"

"Well Joel was right; there are big wolves that live in the forest." She explained and she felt her little brother tense up next to her, his small hand creeping out from the safety of his sheets and grabbing hers. "But I'll let you into a little secret, you can't tell anyone! Promise?"

Alex's head peeked out and he nodded. "The wolves that live in the forest aren't bad, they're good and they have magical powers that they used to do very special job."

"What kind of job?" Alex asked quietly as more of his face became visible.

"They protect people from all of the bad things," Kim said, brushing his slightly too long hair off his face "they chase away monsters and make sure everyone is safe."

"Really?" He looked up at her and she nodded, smiling to herself when he yawned.

"When you hear them howling, like just now? That's them talking to each other, and letting everyone know that they're out there and that they're safe." She shrugged and stood, tucking him back in. "There's no reason for you to be scared, okay?"

Kim left his room with the door ajar so that light from the hallway seeped in; her façade fell as soon as she was out of earshot, tears streaming freely down her face.

Jared wasn't at school the next day, or the day after that. She was relieved in a way, that she didn't have to see him in the corridors or sit next to him in class but the void he left was indescribable.

Her heart felt as though it had imploded, her stomach twisted painfully to the point she couldn't keep anything solid down and it was like her limbs were being stretched by invisible ropes. She wanted to blame him, say it was all his fault but she knew he was just doing what she'd asked…keeping her out of the picture.

After four days without him, the pressure was becoming too much. The phone creaked in her grip, the ringing seeming louder than it had before as she waited for an answer.

"Hello?" Emily's voice chimed from the other end and Kim let out a shuddering breath.

"How is he?" She asked.

"Kim? Is that you?" She could hear the surprise in her voice and a scuffle in the background.

"Please Emily, I know I told him I didn't want to know but I can't…I just need," Kim stammered, "please?"

"You want the truth?" Emily asked and Kim nodded as if she could see her. "He's a wreck, he has been since the last night he saw you and it's only gotten worse. Why are you doing this Kim?"

"Because…" her voice cracked. "I thought would be easier than watching him leave, knowing that he might not come back."

"And is it?" Emily demanded and Kim winced at the acid tone. "You're not the only one you know? I have just as much to loose from all this as you do, maybe more. These guys are my family and Sam is my life if…if I lost anyone of them, it would kill me but I can't turn my back on them!"

"Well then I guess I'm not as strong as you." Kim murmured and placed the phone back in the cradle, twisting herself into a ball and hugging her knees.

Later that night, she was roused from a fitful sleep by a series of sharp knocks at her window. She frowned and almost fell from the bed, her eye's puffy and sticky with dried tears as she focused on the silhouette of a large man outside her window, her heart leaping at the thought it might be Jared and crushing under the weight of the realization that it was Embry.

She pushed up the bottom half of the window and leaned out.

"We have something you need to see!" Embry exclaimed, grabbing her arm and trying to yank her through the window.

Her breath caught in her throat as an image of Jared, instantly floated to the front of her mind. "Is it…what happened? Is he okay?"

"Relax Kimmy; Jared's fine - well as fine as you can be when your imprints denied you." He mumble as he crouched down in front of her gesturing for her to jump on his back and when she hesitated he rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "What you'll ride wolf but you're scared of me giving you a piggy back? This is important Kim, now get on."

Kim used the window sill for leverage as she hiked herself up on his back, her hands loose around his neck as he gripped her bent knees and began speeding across the reservation.

"Did Jared tell you that I denied him?" She asked, resting her head on his shoulder. "I didn't, I…"

"He didn't tell us anything," Embry cut her off "We saw it as soon as he wolfed out that night."

"But I didn't deny him Embry!" Kim exclaimed. "I would never do that- I couldn't!"

"Hey it's none of my business okay? It's not why you're here, we just need you to help us out with something." He said as they hit the tree line, gradually slowing as they came to a large clearing.

It took a moment for Kim's eyes to adjust to the darkness, but she could see four wolves she recognized circling two that she didn't.

"What's going on? Why did you bring me here?" Kim frowned as Jake's wolf ducked behind Sam's large form and phased, pulling on his shorts before walking over to her.

"Collin and Brady, those names mean anything to you?" He demanded and she shook her head.

"No. Why, should it?" Her eyes rounded the clearing again, a now phased Embry joined the ranks along side Quil and Seth.

"About five hours ago we were patrolling north of here and they suddenly popped up," he pointed at the two wolves in the middle of the circle "they phased in the middle of Seattle. The growth of the army must have set them off and we had to go and get them."

Kim stared at the new wolves, both very similar in size - tall, gangly limbs and oversized paws and a mirror image of each other - both grey, one with a black left forelimb and the other with a black right forelimb.

"I dont understand Jake," Kim hugged herself against the chill wind, her toes wiggling against the damp forest floor "what does this have to do with me?"

"They're brothers. Collin and Brady Catori, they share your last name Kim."

"Are you serious?" She balked, automatically walking towards them only for Jacob to grab her arm and stop her.

"They're a little jumpy and we can't get them to phase back, so don't get too close." He explained softly and sighed. "A couple of months ago you told Jared about your dad, he has another family right?"

"Yeah he -" she looked between Jake and the smaller wolves "he has two sons but, they live in BC not Seattle and they're only kids."

"So is Seth." Jacob stated and a growl rumbled in Seth's chest causing the new wolves to bare their teeth. "Don't agitate them Seth, we need them to calm down enough to get them back on two feet."

Kim sighed deeply, willing her muscles to relax. "Let me try? See if I can talk them round." She watched as Jake glanced at Sam who nodded. Taking that as yes, she walked towards Collin and Brady, the ring of wolves parting and surrounding her protectively.

"Right, let's see if we can do this huh? I know you can understand me so I just want two yips for yes and one for no, okay?" She waited until two yips sounded from the wolf on the left, and pointed at him. "Collin?"

The wolf on the right grunted and she turned to him. "Okay so you're Collin and you're Brady, my name's Kim…Catori."

Both wolves straightened at her name, ears perked up as they stared at her. "Do you know James or maybe Jim?" Kim turned to Jake. "I think that's the name he was going by up in Abbotsford?"

Collin yipped twice and Brady sat back on his haunches.

Kim watched as he began to shake, his fur seeming pulling back into the skin and the large wolf was soon replaced by a naked boy. She clapped her hand to her eye's. "Didn't need to see that!"

"Seth, shorts?" Jake asked and Seth lifted his front paw, waiting for him to untie the pouch at his ankle. "He's decent."

Kim peeked through her fingers as Brady finished zipping up the cut offs and looked up at her. "I recognize you; I've seen your picture." He told her and Collin's large head whipped around to look at him. "I took some money from dads wallet and you were in it. He wouldn't tell me who you were."

"Yeah well it wouldn't be the first time he's kept me a secret." She grumbled and glanced over at Jacob. "Maybe you were right about who they are? But what I don't get though is why you were in Seattle? my mom said you lived in BC."

"We did," Brady nodded. "Until about two years ago. Dad got offered a job at SU so we moved."

"Wow! Five hour drive between here and Seattle and he couldn't even be bothered to come see us in the whole two years he's been there. I guess I shouldn't be surprised?" She shrugged.

"Us?" Brady frowned, turning quickly as Collin finally managed to phase back, grabbing the spare shorts that Jacob tossed at him and Kim noticed that the similarities between them continued in human form - twins.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" He demanded, as the wolves around them phased one by one and Kim averted her eyes.

"What the hell was I supposed to say Cole? 'here's the fifty you wanted for your sneakers, by the way dad's got a picture of a strange girl in his wallet!' Can you imagine if mom had heard that? She could have been a girlfriend for all I knew." Brady exclaimed.

"Wouldn't be the first time he's done _that_ either!" Kim scoffed and both boys turned to her.

"We know." They said in unison, and Kim cocked an eyebrow.

"Dad's an asshole," Collin said bluntly "he thinks we don't see what's going on, but we're not that stupid. It got worse after he took the job at the university."

"The girls got younger too!" Brady chipped in with a flick of his eyebrow. "You said us?"

"Oh yeah, I have a brother." She said thumbing over her shoulder back in the direction of her home and Brady's eyes followed, landing on Embry.

"You?" He asked and Embry frowned.

"No, that's Embry." Kim explained quickly "He's not my brother. I mean, he's your pack brother but he's not…Alex is my brother."

"Oh, okay." Brady nodded still regarding Embry with a frown.

"Are you like us?" Collin asked and Kim's eye's widened at the question.

"No I'm not, at least I don't think…" She turned to Jake and Sam "Could this happen to me too?"

Jake shrugged and looked towards Sam who stepped forward "I think that if you were going to turn, it would have happened by now and with Jared imprinting on you it would seem highly unlikely."

"_Who's Jared?_"

"_What's imprinting?" _they asked simultaneously and Kim rolled her eyes.

"It's a long story, one I don't feel like sharing right now." She sighed.

"You've got plenty of time to learn everything," Jake said clapping Collin on the shoulder before turning to Sam "but right now we need to figure out what we're going to do with two wolves that live nearly two hundred a fifty kilometers away in what is currently some kind of leech nexus."

"We'll be fine!" Brady said cheerfully.

"No you won't, you're too young." Sam frowned. "You don't have enough self control to live in the city, especially in such close proximity to the vampire army. The situations too volatile."

"Well we can't just keep them here, I don't think their parents would take to kindly to them leaving home at fourteen?" Quil chimed in and Embry nodded.

"We can't send them home either, we'll be putting the humans at risk." Jacob added.

"Don't we get a say in this?" Collin asked, his eye's darting between the guys. "Can't we just tell our mom?"

"Unfortunately, no." Sam sighed and turned to the boys. "With the exception of imprints and elders- you can tell no one what you are."

Kim watched Collin and Brady stiffen slightly at his words and Embry muttered something about alpha's orders in her ear.

"Come on, you can crash at my place while we figure out what we're doing." Sam said gesturing back towards the reservation. "Embry why don't you make sure Kim get's home?"

Embry nodded and together they left the cover of the trees, breaking off from the rest of the group and continuing back towards her house.

"You need me to carry you?" He mumbled and Kim smiled.

"No, thank you." Kim hugged her arms around herself. "I think I can manage a few hundred yards."

"Jared would carry you." Embry said, pushing his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah, well Jared's not here." She pursed her lips and Embry stopped, nodding towards the shadows.

Kim turned, just able to make out the tail of a wolf disappearing around the back of her house. "Was that him?" Embry nodded. "What's he doing?"

"The same thing he does every night," he shrugged "watching over you, making sure you're safe. He's just doing what you told him to, he has to do what you tell him to."

"Well if he has to do what I tell him too, how come he's still fighting against the vampire army huh?" She could feel her body begin to tremble.

"Because apart from you there is only one other person he can't disobey -Sam." Embry explained. "Alpha's orders above everything else. Jared doesn't want to stand with the Cullen's, none of us do but right now? They're not the biggest threat, the twenty or so newborn vampires that are heading towards us, toward our people, are. Just remember that okay?"

"Thanks Em." She nodded as he squeezed her shoulder and turned to where Jared had disappeared. "Hey can I ask you a question? What do you know about your dad?"

"Nothing." Embry shook his head. "My mom won't tell me anything. I didn't even know I was part Quileute until I phased."

"Do you think…I mean with Collin and Brady changing, could you…" She stumbled through her words until Embry cut her off.

"Guess we'll never really know." He shrugged. "Night Kimmy."

"Night Embry." She smiled walking up the steps of her porch, stopping to glance at the shadows. "Goodnight Jared."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Two updates in less than a week, I've impressed myself! This chapter come with a dedication- to everybody who took the time to read and review, I'm shitty at replying to reviews so this is my thanks and I hope you like it!**

**It's a little fast paced and slightly erratic, I blame the fact that I was listening to The Prodigy and Skindred for the most part and I apologize.**

**Because Paul's not always an inconsiderate bad-ass and not everyone loves Bella Swan.**

* * *

Jared crashed through the trees, leaving Kim's house behind him, paws pounding deep into the dirt and his chest heaving.

He felt Embry phase and immediately started firing questions at him. "_I she okay? What happened_?"

"_Chill Jere_," Embry chuckled "_She's fine, a little tired maybe but fine_."

"_You should have carried her home_." He grumbled. "_You dragged her out of the house with out her shoes; you shouldn't have let her walk_."

"_Oh please! Don't try to pretend you weren't any more than ten feet away from me the entire time I was with her_." Embry exclaimed. "_I asked her if she wanted me to carry her, she said no and I know you heard it_."

"_Sorry Em, I just_…" He trailed off with a sigh.

"_You know you were the first thing she thought about right_?" Embry said. "_When she saw me at her window the first thing she asked was if you were okay- she misses you_."

Jared nodded, he knew she was thinking about him, he had since she'd called Emily earlier in the evening and Sam had all but sat on him to stop him from ripping the phone out of her hand to talk to her. The utter dejection he heard in her voice had his stomach rolling and he'd bolted from the house as soon as the call disconnected, phasing with barely enough time to remove his shorts and staying that way ever since.

He ignored his brothers' attempts at calming him down and when the wolf twins popped up he chose to stay back. As soon as Sam, Jacob and Quil had them back at the reservation and calmed down enough to get a little bit of information from them, Jared had heard the name-_her_ name, and his mind immediately went back to what Kim had told him about her father.

Jake picked up it instantly and instructed Embry to go and get Kim, to drag her out of bed if he needed too, but to get her there and Jared had looked on as she climbed onto Embry's back…

Jealousy had bubbled up inside him at the sight of her wrapped around his pack brother, but reason kept him from raging after him. Instead he kept back in the shadows, listening as she insisted that she hadn't denied him and he couldn't help but notice that she looked slightly thinner, that her skin had paled and the dark circles under her eyes stood out.

"_I'm out man." _Embry barked, shocking him from his thoughts. "_Jake's headed up the mountain to check on Bella and the leech. If I have to listen to one more minute of his whining over that little…I'm gonna hand myself over to the vampire army! I'll see you tomorrow_." Jared yipped in reply as Embry disappeared.

Jared phased back a few hundred feet shy of the tree line, pulling his basketball shorts up on his hips and scraping his fingers through his mussed hair in an attempt to smooth it a little as he trudged through the undergrowth.

"Hey man, how you holding up?" Paul asked as he leaned against a small tree that bowed under his weight.

"Been better." He shrugged. "You going on patrol?"

Paul nodded. "Yeah, just waiting for Quil to finish his last circuit before I take over. Hey what's the deal with the wolf twins? I swear the first time I get some sleep in two weeks and that's when something interesting happens!" He exclaimed falling into step beside Jared.

"They're uh…they're Kim's little brothers." He said softly and Paul balked.

"No shit! I thought she only had one?" He asked, surprised.

"She has three, Alex is the one who lives with her and her mom and Collin and Brady are from her dads other marriage." Jared explained as they finally left the trees and his feet hit the grass behind his house. "Listen, would you make a pass by Kim's house later? Just to check on her for me?"

"Sure," Paul nodded and clapped him on the shoulder before he turned away. "Hey Jere?"

Jared turned and Paul shuffled his feet. "I know I'm no good at this shit, I don't do relationships and fuck knows what this imprinting crap's all about but, don't let this get the better of you okay? Kim's just scared, hell I'm scared! You need to keep your head in the game man; we can't take on the newborns and cover you too." He sighed. "I don't know if you realize it but, the past couple of days, when you've been fixating on her…"

"I have not been fixating on her!" Jared protested and Paul cocked an eyebrow.

"When you fixate on her, the rest of the pack do too. We feel what you feel, remember? It's disorientating." He explained. "You need to try and hold it back."

"It's easier said than done." Jared grumbled and Paul nodded.

"I don't envy you at all."

"One of these days Paul," Jared shook his head "you will be standing right where I am, going through exactly the same thing, mark my words!"

"Who the fuck am I gonna imprint on around here?" Paul grinned. "Nah man, I'm gonna stay free as long as I can and then if I feel like it, maybe I'll find myself an older woman - someone who can teach _me_ a few things!"

"Nice dude, real nice." Jared chuckled, a smile on his face for the first time in four days. "Thanks Paul, I needed that."

"Hey don't go thinking about this crap when we're phased all right? I've got a reputation to uphold, I don't need the rest of the guys thinking I've gone all Hallmark on 'em! Now if you'll excuse me I have to go scratch my balls and do other manly shit, to balance all this out!" Paul exclaimed and Jared laughed as Paul took off under the cover of the trees.

He bounded around the back of his house and pushed open his bedroom window, slipping noiselessly inside and dropping onto his bed, listening to the soft sounds of breathing coming from the room next door where his sister slept and letting it lull him into sleep.

When he awoke the next morning, earlier than he should have on his morning off, everything was deceivingly quiet and serene- it was unnerving. His sister wasn't slamming through the house and moaning about having to go to school, his mom wasn't trying to break down his door in an attempt to get him to go with her and his dad wasn't yelling about finding clean socks. The only thing that hadn't changed was the longing ache that had settled across his shoulders, was steadily flowing down his back and twisting around his stomach.

Jared pushed himself from his bed and dragged his feet across the floor and into the bathroom, sighing as he emptied his bladder before turning his attention to the shower, the heat of the water incomparable to the heat of his body and doing nothing to sooth the ache.

He pulled a wife beater over his head as he entered the empty kitchen, grabbing a pasta bowl from the cupboard and piling it with cereal, the addition of milk sending Lucky Charms tumbling over the sides.

He plopped himself in front of the T.V and resigned himself to a morning of daytime television, constantly flicking through the channels, unable to decide on anything to watch.

A large sigh passed through his lips as he stretched his arms above his head and popped his shoulders. "Fuck it." He mumbled jumping from his seat and bolting out the door, sprinting across the reservation to the school, ignoring the questioning looks he got from the other students as he ran through the corridors in his cut off jeans and vest. When he got to the class that Kim was scheduled to be in, he peered through the small window in the door, casting his eyes around the room a couple of times before frowning- she wasn't there.

He crossed the hall to an empty classroom, waiting inside until the bell rang and one of her friends emerged, jumping a little when Jared grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room with him.

"You seen Kim?" He asked abruptly as she stared up at him.

"No, she's not in today." The girl stated, hugging her books closer to her chest.

"Why?" He breathed and she cocked an eyebrow.

"How the hell should I know, you've been spending more time with her than I have, I've barely spoken to her in over two weeks." She exclaimed. "I've got a class to get to, try her house."

Jared ran from the school grounds, diving under the cover of the trees and tugging off his clothes before phasing and circling round towards Kim's house.

"_Jared_?" Sam's voice popped into his head. "_We need you up at the clearing. Alice has seen the army, they're on there way_."

"_I can't Sam, something's up with Kim and I need_…" He started before Sam cut him off.

"_This isn't up for discussion Jared. Clearing, now_!" Sam said his voice a little harder than before.

"_Damn it Sam, five minutes that's all I'm asking for_!" Jared growled, as Kim's house came into view.

"_No! Join the rest of the pack now_." Sam's voice was low and firm and Jared buckled under the weight of his command. "_I'm sorry Jared, but we don't know how much time we've got to spare. The twins are staying back at the reservation; I'll send them to check on her."_

Jared grunted and whipped back around, heading towards the pack and the rest of the Cullen's.

* * *

Kim jumped from her perch on the couch when a resounding knock rattled around the room.

"Kim? It's Brady, open up!" He called through the front door and Kim pulled it open, frowning at him.

"What?" She asked widening the door so he could come inside.

Brady glanced around the house, his eye's zeroing in on the door at the end of the hall closest too them with Alex's name emblazoned across it in blue wooden letters. "Is Alex home?" He asked hopefully and Kim shook her head.

"No he's at school already. Is that why you came here? To see Alex?" She asked and Brady shoved his hands into his pockets.

"No, Jared was worried about you when you didn't go to school so Sam sent us to check on you." He explained. "Cole's gone wolf outside."

"Oh. Well, I'm fine; I just wasn't feeling great after last night." She frowned deeper. "Why did Sam send you? If Jared was that worried why didn't he just come and check on me himself?"

"Oh, the pack are out in the woods. Apparently one of the vampires uh, Alice? She saw the army, so the pack are out waiting for them." He shrugged and Kim's face drained of any remaining color, her knees wobbled and Brady grabbed her too him to stop her falling.

"The Vampire army? They're here already?" She stammered and Brady nodded, informing her that the pack had been expecting them; they just weren't exactly sure when until a few minutes ago.

Kim yanked herself from his grip and pulled her sneakers on, pulling the door open with enough force that it slammed against the wall and running as fast as her legs would carry her into the trees, still dressed in sleep shorts and a t-shirt.

The brush crinkled and crunched underfoot, she lost count of how many times she stumbled over branches and potholes as Brady shouted after her, yelling for her to wait while Collin's wolf ran slightly ahead, anticipating her route.

Her legs burned as the incline increased the closer she got to the clearing, her chest heaved as she fought against the pain searing through her calves as wiry branches whipped and bit into the exposed skin.

Suddenly a grey wolf came crashing towards her, and she fell to her knees in front of him.

"Please!" She breathed clutching her stomach as she dry heaved.

"What the hell are you doing here, Kim? You can't be here!" A now human Paul said frantically, pulling her to her feet and she couldn't find it in her self to be embarrassed by his lack of clothing.

"I need to see him; I can't let him go out there with out knowing…Please!" She pleaded and Paul glanced around, Collin and Brady stood watching, bodies twitching as they sniffed at the air.

"You realize I'm gonna get my ass handed to me for this right? I'm putting all the blame on you, so you better be able to deal with it! Get on!" He commanded stepping back, his body twisting and extending until the wolf had reappeared and Kim leaped to her feet and climbed onto his back as he edged around the trees and away from where he'd come from.

Paul skidded to a stop as Jared appeared in front of them and she fell from his back. Scrambling to her feet and almost blinded by her tears she ran for him, not stopping until she felt her body collide with his.

"Kim, Kim…" He chanted over and over, lifting her from the ground, her legs wrapping around his torso and her arms in a death grip around his neck. "What are you doing baby? What's going on?"

"I'm sorry Jared!" She choked, as he pulled her head from his shoulder and gripped her face between his hands, thumbing away the stream of tears that flowed down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry for saying what I did, for telling you to leave. I didn't mean it, I was just so scared that you wouldn't come back and I can't loose you Jared if you go then I go, I can't live without you!"

"Me either baby, me either." He whispered, pulling her tightly back to him, his fingers running through her hair as she sobbed uncontrollably into his neck. Paul growled from his place a few feet away, his feet shuffled and padded nervously. "Baby I gotta go, I have to do this."

Kim nodded and pulled away from him, shivering uncontrollably as her eye's locked onto his. "Please come back to me Jared, please? I love you." She said her voice almost a whisper.

The air flew out of his body and he grabbed at her, crushing his mouth against hers almost violently, tongue pushing past the barrier of her lips as he reacquainted himself with every crevice, every taste she offered. "I love you too Kim, you have no idea." He kissed her forehead, down to her nose and back to her lips. "I promise you I'll be back okay? I promise. Wait at the house for me; I'll be there as soon as I can. Brady?"

He ran over, flicking his hair from his eyes and Jared pushed Kim into his arms. "Take her back to Emily's. Don't let either of them out of your sight until you hear from us, okay?" Brady nodded and scooped her up against his chest.

Jared grabbed the hand that gripped his wrist, bringing her palm to his mouth. "Remember what I said? As long as you're waiting for me, I'll always come back…Now go!"

Brady span so fast that Kim lost sight of Jared instantly, Collin fell into step with them as they charged back towards the house, his oversized paws pounding out a rhythm that calmed her enough that her sobs turned to hiccups.

Emily was waiting at the door when they finally reached the house and she pulled Kim straight into her arms, walking them both to the couch and sitting them down rocking backwards and forwards as she whispered unintelligibly. Kim twisted her fingers with Emily's and tugged them to get her attention.

"They'll be fine." She said nodding her head. "They'll go out there, kill those damn vampires and they'll come back. No one will get hurt and it will all go back to normal although, I'm not quite sure how you're going to fit all ten of them around your breakfast table!"

Emily barked a laugh, quickly bringing her hand over her mouth as she stared at Kim with wet eyes.

"You were wrong yesterday." She said softly, ducking her head. "You said I was stronger than you but I'm not! That's my whole family out there, I don't know what I'd do if…" Emily trailed off with a fresh wave of tears and Kim hugged her closer, cradling her head to her chest and stroking her hair.

"No 'if's' okay, they're probably already on their way back." Kim turned to Collin and Brady. "It takes more than a vampire to take out a werewolf, right boys?"

"You got it sis!" Brady chirped with a lopsided smirk.

"Those leeches won't know what hit 'em." Collin nodded with a flick of his eyebrow. "I'm gonna head outside and check in with the guys."

Kim watched him leave; her eye's following him until he disappeared from view. "Now we wait."

* * *

Collin burst through the door, his hand clutched at the waistband of his shorts as he tried to button them up and all eye's on him. "It's done, they're on there way back but Jake got hurt."

"What do you mean hurt?" Emily asked, rising to her feet.

"One of the newborns hid and went after Leah." Collin breathed. "Jake pulled her out of the way but the leech got its arms around him. They're going to Billy's."

"Fuck!" Emily exclaimed and Kim couldn't stop her eyes from widening at the sound of her curse. "Let's go, come on!" She bellowed pushing the boys out of the door in front of her and pulling Kim behind her.

The closer they got to the area of the reservation where the Black's red slated house sat, the louder the screams got.

Collin and Brady visibly winced at the noise, and Kim shuddered as she squeezed Emily's hand tighter.

"I smell vampire." Collin growled and both boys sprinted towards the house, leaving the girls to trail after them.

"Kim!" her head shot round at the sound of her name to find Jared running towards her. "Told you I'd be back." He grinned pulling her to him, and she relaxed into his chest, a shuddering breath passing through her lips.

"Where's Sam?" Emily asked from behind them.

"He's in with Jake and Doc Cullen." Jared said softly and Emily gasped. "The leech crushed him. The bones already started to reset by the time we got him home, Cullen's got to re-break them."

Another shout came from the house, and Kim buried her face further in to his chest. "Come on baby." Jared kissed the top of her head and led them towards the front of the house. Kim reached beside her and grabbed Emily's hand, squeezing it reassuringly as they waited with the rest of the pack.

"Hey, how's Jake?" Every set of eye's turned on Bella Swan, as she stood in front of them, arms wrapped around her body and swallowing nervously. Out of the corner of her eye, Kim watched Paul squeeze Leah's shoulder and force her to sit on the porch step, a low growl resonating from her body.

"Broken leg and arm, his right side's crushed." Embry said stiffly. "Cullen just finished resetting the bones."

"Can I see him?" She asked.

"Go away!" Kim hissed through clenched teeth, and Jared pulled at her arm, whispering for her to forget it. "No I will not just forget it. She's the reason he's in there, I'm just saying what everybody else is thinking!"

"Come on Kim, now isn't the time." He said trying to placate her.

"When is the time then? When one of you gets killed?" She blanched and Jared snapped his mouth shut. "I don't think I've ever met someone so selfish! You made your choice now deal with it and stop dragging him down with you!"

"It's not that easy, I just…" Bella mumbled flinching as Leah rose quickly to her feet, snarling when Paul trapped her in his arms and Kim lunged towards her.

Jared grabbed her waist and pulled her back against his chest. "Easy baby, she's not worth it." He said softly in her ear.

"She want's to be one of them doesn't she? You should have just handed her over!" Kim spat.

"Get her out of here." Sam said walking out on to the porch with Carlisle behind him, gesturing towards Kim before looking over to Leah. "And you need to calm down."

"Come on, let's go to my place." Jared held her at his side, hand clamped at her hip. "Let me know how Jake's doing." He said to no one in particular earning him a few grunted replies before pulling her along with him.

The house was quiet when they entered a few minutes later and Kim wandered into the kitchen, leaning against the islands with her head in her hands. "Shit, I'm sorry Jared!" She sighed. "I shouldn't have gone off at her like that, that was probably the last thing you needed."

She felt the heat from his body as he stood in front of her, his hands resting on the swell of her hips and his thumbs tracing invisible circles under the hem of her shirt.

"I missed you so badly." He whispered, a pained look crossing his face that made her heart twist. "I think I would gladly take Jake's place over that, there's no way it could hurt more than being away from you."

Kim gripped his neck, pulling his head down to hers and pressing their mouths together, tasting the saltiness of her tears on her lips. "I wish I could take it back!"

She felt her feet leave the floor as Jared perched on the counter, pulling her legs around his waist as he deepened the kiss with a sigh. His hands swept under her shirt and tickled up her bare back as she tugged at his hair, little panted moans slipping though her lips when his nails scraped softly against her skin.

She felt the air move around her, the soft swing of Jared's hips as he walked them down the hallway and heard the soft click of a door shutting behind her, the coolness of his sheets against the exposed skin of her lower back and his intoxicating smell that swirled around her with every movement, all the while his lips never leaving hers.

"Tell me to stop." He demanded softly, his eye's dark and hooded as he sat back on his knees between her legs and Kim shook her head.

"No, don't," she blinked and blushed furiously as his calloused hand brushed the inside of her knee and trailed down her leg, encircling her ankle "don't stop."

Jared slipped off the edge of the bed, tugging her sneakers from her feet and tossing them blindly behind him, his lips brushing against every welt and every scratch that she'd gotten running through the trees, as he worked his way back up her body and settled into the cradle of her hips.

He hooked her leg around his waist, flexing his hips and letting her feel him through their clothes and she gasped at the pressure, twitching underneath him.

Kim shivered as his hands crept back under her shirt, pushing it up under her chin and helping her tug it all the way off before he dropped them back down, palms cupping the supple flesh of her breasts, his fingertips plucking and rolling her hardening nipples.

Her fingernails grated down his back, slipping under the waistband of his shorts and resting on the curve of his ass, pressing him against her, her breath catching in her throat as his hips rolled and flexed in time with hers.

"Breath baby." Jared whispered, lifting his weight from her and kissing her lips, dragging them tantalizingly slow down the curve of her neck and flicking his tongue between the valley of her breasts.

His hand ghosted over her hip, pushing underneath her sleep shorts and resting above the apex of her thighs. She spread her legs further and tilted her hips up, both if them groaning simultaneously as his hand cupped her sex and his fingers pushed through her wet heat.

Jared blew out a shuddering breath and goose bumps erupted over the sweat dampened skin of her chest, as he slipped a finger inside her. She winced at the slight discomfort of him pressing past the barrier that invoked feelings of both fear and satisfaction within him.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked pulling back to look at her face. "I don't want you to rush into it."

"Yes! I'm sure!" She whined exasperatedly and Jared chuckled slightly.

He swept his thumb through her folds, pressing the pad against her clit and leaving her mewling underneath him. "I'm completely sure." She breathed as he traced tight circles around the nub, her hips bucking as a wave of euphoria washed over her body.

"I could watch you do that all day." Jared growled, as she tried to refocus on him, his eyes beyond dark and almost completely black as he dipped his head backed to hers, sucking her tongue into his mouth.

Kims fingers hooked at his waistband and pushed his shorts down his hips, using her feet to slip them the rest of the way off. Jared stood from the bed, kicking them out of the way and Kim eyes went wide as she caught sight of his erection. Her gaze made him blush slightly as he turned to his cluttered desk and rifled through the drawer, retrieving a small foil package before stalking back to her with renewed confidence.

She pushed her self up on her elbows, her eyes fixated on his hands as they rolled the condom over his shaft, his eyes falling shut and a soft murmur tumbling from his mouth her small hand tentatively reached out to grip him.

"Stop!" he growled, batting he hand away, yanking her shorts down her legs and settling back between them. "Last chance."

Kim pulled his mouth to hers, her hand slipping between them and pressing his tip against her entrance.

He tilted his hips, slipping into her with a strained sigh. She cried out and the faint smell of blood hit his nose. "Shit! I'm sorry baby, I'm sorry." He exclaimed, beginning to pull back, but her thighs tightened around his hips to stop him from moving and the sensation made him groan.

"The worst of it's over Jere," she panted as her hands caressed the skin of his back, fingertips tracing the indent of his spine. "Please don't stop?"

Jared nodded wordlessly, pressing forward with a hiss, willing himself to stay still enough for her to adjust to his intrusion.

A soft "Please" accompanied by a tiny roll of her hips let him know she was ready and he pulled out a little before rocking back in and soon he was swallowing her tiny moans of encouragement.

He tried to ignore the pressure building at the base of his cock, the tightening of his balls and when she whimpered for him to go faster he wasn't entirely sure he could hold on. His hands slipped beneath her ass, cupping her cheeks and lifting her hips as he deepened his thrusts, her sudden cry letting him know he'd found what he was aiming for.

His pulse roared in his ears and his hips jerked as the feeling became to much and he came with a rumbling growl and somewhere in the back of his mind he heard a loud shout that he couldn't focus on.

"Jared! Shit!" Kim clutched him to her heaving chest, her legs spasming uncontrollably from the force of her orgasm.

"Are you okay?" He whispered tilting his head into the crook of neck and pressing his lips along it. "Was it…I mean did you…"

Kim chuckled breathlessly and grabbed his hand, holding against her twitching thigh. "I hope you don't mind carrying me everywhere for the next few days!"

"Mmmmm," he sighed, running his hand up her side "what makes you think I'm letting you out of this bed at all over the next few days?"

"You love your food too much!" She grinned as he pushed himself onto his elbows and gazed down at her.

"I love you Kim Catori, I think I have from the moment I set eyes on you." He said softly, brushing a damp lock of hair from her forehead.

She lifted her head and pecked at his lips. "Well I've loved you longer."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Does anybody actually read these? Anyway- hey, it's been a while, sorry for the huge gap in updates, but i've been spending most of my writing time on a one shot that's been plaguing me for months (CallWater if anyone's interested?). It's almost finished and I am getting round to my other stories, for anyone that reads **_It's A Mating What?_** I'm about a third of the way through the next chapter and it should be up by the end of next week.**

**Any who, this chappie's a bit of a filler but hopefully you enjoy it. Reviews are, as always, greatly appreciated. **

**I'm now going to sit on the naughty step. Kare.**

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Kim's eye's fluttered as she woke; a soft weight across her body caused her brow to wrinkle in confusion.

She looked down to find a head of dark, messy hair rising and falling in time with each breath she took and a muscular arm slung across her naked stomach.

Her cheeks bloomed with color as memories of what she and Jared hand done earlier that day came flooding back to her and she shuddered.

The movement caused Jared to stir above her, the thigh he had precariously wedged between hers shifted against her centre and made her yelp and shift her hips back as she was reminded of the satisfying soreness he'd left in his wake.

"You okay?" Jared mumbled into her chest, his eyes still closed and his fingers tracing invisible patterns around her bellybutton.

"I'm fine; I'm just a little…" He shifted his leg again and she bit her lip "tender."

"I'm sorry baby." Jared pressed his lips to the swell of her breast and lifted himself off of her, her hand reaching up to the side of his face to get him to look at her.

"Don't be," Kim smiled "I'm not."

Jared ducked his head down, his mouth capturing hers softly, coaxing a small sigh from her as his hardening body fell back into the cradle of her hips.

His hand tickled down her side, his thumb grazing her nipple on its pass, tracing the curve of her ass and gripping her thigh, lifting and pressing it towards her chest as he rocked his insistent erection against the dampening heat of her core.

"Jared." She breathed, his lips falling from hers to attack the skin of her neck as his tip pressed against her entrance and made her hiss and tense in discomfort.

Jared pulled back with a growl, distancing himself to the other end of the bed with his head in his hand. "I'm sorry Kimmy; I don't know what…I didn't mean to push you like that."

"Hey," Kim pushed herself up and onto her knees and crawled towards him, grabbing his hands from his face and placing them at her waist "it's okay; it's not your fault."

"You told me you were sore, Kim." He sighed squeezing her hips. "I shouldn't have ignored it like that."

"I didn't stop you; I was more than willing to…" She ducked her head as she felt her cheeks warm. "You made me forget until…"

Jared reached up and thumbed her cheek, leaning forward to press a chaste kiss against her lips, his eyes shooting a glance behind her at the clock on his bedside table. "My sister will be home from track practice soon. Did you wanna take a shower before she gets here?"

Her heart stuttered in her chest and Jared chuckled. "On your own, I'm not sure it would be in your best interest if I joined you…at least not today." He added with a flick of his eyebrow.

Kim let out a little gasp and slid from the bed, her lip clamped between her teeth as she wrapped the bed sheet around her body and gathered her clothes from the floor before making her way to his door. With one last deep breath for confidence she turned to face him over her shoulder as he gingerly pulled on his shorts, his eyes widening at the smirk that he found when he finally looked up at her.

She let the sheet drop to the floor and watched as his eyes darkened. "I may just hold you to that."

Kim ran across the hallway and into the bathroom, her cheeks pink and her heart hammering from the shock of what she'd done and a nervous giggle burst from her mouth.

She padded over to the shower and reached in, turning the taps and adjusting the water temperature before stepping under the stream with a sigh.

She wiped the water from her eyes and glanced over the bottles that sat on the corner shelf, spotting two bottles side by side and grabbing the shampoo. The scent of lavender enveloped her as she washed and rinsed her hair and blindly reached out for the conditioner, frowning when she couldn't find it.

"You know it's not a good idea to tease a wolf, don't you?" Kim's eyes shot open as Jared's fingers began working the product through her hair, the skin of her back was tingling with his proximity and she nodded.

He gripped her hips and turned her to face him, slowly guiding her back under the shower stream, his hard body pressed against hers. "Close your eyes." He demanded softly and she quickly obliged as he tilted her head back and pushed his fingers back into her hair to rinse it.

She was unable to contain the purr that vibrated in her chest as she felt his tongue at the base of her throat, her hands shooting up to grip his arms as he languidly licked the length of her exposed neck, ending with a soft nip on the round of her chin.

Jared's hands cupped the back of her head, his lips brushing teasingly against her mouth before pulling back a little and chuckling at the soft whimper she gave.

"It's not nice being teased, is it?" He smirked down at her, her eyes still squeezed tightly shut and she shook her vehemently.

"I promise never to do it again." Kim breathed as his hands slid from her hair and travelled down the expanse of her back.

"Well I wouldn't say never," he squeezed the flesh of her butt and pushed against her, smiling at the startled yelp she gave when her back pressed against the cold, tiled wall "not all teasing is bad."

She cracked her eyes open at the feeling of being lifted from the floor, finding Jared watching her with rapt interest, his dark eyes fluttering every now and then when water dripped from his hair and onto his face.

Her hands gripped his shoulders and her legs locked around him, her mouth falling open with a shudder as he rocked the length of his erection against her aching core.

"Jared, I can't I'm too…" Kim whispered, her head becoming hazy with each shift of his hips and each pass of his swollen tip over her clit.

"I'm not going to." Jared said hoarsely, his eyes falling shut as she met his next thrust, his lips blindly finding hers in a frantic kiss. "I just want to make you feel good. Can I?"

Kim nodded and Jared groaned, gripping her thigh and loosening the grip of her legs so that she slipped down his body.

He licked, sucked and nipped his way down her chest, following the tiny streams of water between her breasts and chuckling when his tongue on her stomach made her giggle.

"I can't help it!" She blushed, looking down at him and slapping playfully at his shoulder. "I'm ticklish, you know that."

"Hmmm," he narrowed his eyebrow conspiratorially "I wonder where else you're ticklish?"

Jared sat back his heels, his fingers tickling down the inside of her thigh, watching as she squirmed and twitched under his touch, fighting the increasing urge to laugh. He gripped her knee and lifted her leg over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Kim blanched trying to pull her leg back down, only for him to curl his arm over her knee and hold it.

He ignored her, pressing his nose against her, growling as the scent of her arousal engulfed him. His tongue snaked out against the crease of her thigh, his free hand coming up to stroke back and forth across her folds and he felt her body shake

"Let me know if this is uncomfortable." Jared said softly, glancing quickly up at his imprint to find her nodding, eyes squeezed shut and her lip trapped between her teeth.

His fingers pressed through her wet heat, drawing out a series of breathless whimpers. She tensed slightly when she felt him circle her entrance, only feeling a bearable sting as he pushed inside and began teasing at that spot deep within her.

"Ung, Jared!" Kim's hips flexed against hand, and she just about managed to contain a shout when his lips surrounded her over sensitive nub and sucked.

She felt her self climbing towards her orgasm, her fingers wrapped in Jared's hair as his tongue worked in time with his hand.

"Shit!" Her head fell back against the tiles. "Ja…Jere, I'm almost-oh god!"

Kim arched away from the wall, her hands leaving Jared and flying out to hold herself upright, as wave after wave of euphoria crashed over her.

Jared smirked to himself, listening to her moans as his fingers worked her back down, and with one final kiss he stood, pulling her to him.

"That's what I was doing!" A growl reminiscent of one of his passed Kim's lips before she crashed her mouth against his, her taste still lingering on his tongue.

"I love you." Kim whispered, biting her lip as he smiled down at her.

"I love you too." He grabbed her hand and reached behind her for the faucet. "Come on."

"What are you doing?" She frowned, stopping him. "What about…" her eyes shifted down to where his erection was trapped between them.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me." He shrugged, reaching around her again, groaning loudly when her hand snaked between them to grip his length.

"But I want too." Kim blushed, stroking him. "I want to make you feel as good as you made me feel."

"You don't…I…" Jared trailed off, his head dropping to rest against her cheek as he thrust in to her hand. "Shit that feels good!"

"Am I doing this right?" Her voice was barely a whisper and Jared nodded silently.

"Just-" His hand came down and wrapped around hers "a little tighter and l…longer strokes."

Kim tilted her head into his neck, pressing her lips against his skin and moving up to suck a water droplet from his earlobe and revelling in the shudder it produce from him.

Her eyes fell down, watching her hand move back and forth over his cock, sweeping the pad of her thumb over the bead of moisture that gathered at the tip and making Jared curse and tense which made her do it again just to see if he had the same reaction.

Jared hissed and grabbed her face, mumbling "faster" against her lips before forcefully crushing his mouth against hers, the rhythm of his tongue faltering as her hand sped up.

She felt him tense under her fingers, drawing her eyes to his face just in time to see his mouth drop open in pure bliss as he came.

"Fuck!" He slumped against her, warm breath panted against her neck and a hand gripping her waist.

"Uh, Jared?" Kim said softly after a few minutes, running her hands over the back of his neck and hearing a small hum of acknowledgement. "A…as much fun as that was I think we should get out now. The waters getting cold."

Jared lazily lifted is head, realizing that the water had almost completely cooled. Goosebumps erupted over Kim's skin as she gave herself a final rinse off and followed him from the stall.

"Damn it, I don't have a towel!" She exclaimed, glancing around the bathroom for a cupboard.

"Wait here," Jared smiled, planting a small kiss on the top of her head; any water on his skin had already almost completely evaporated with his body heat, "I'll go get you one."

Kim turned to the mirror above the sink, observing her flushed cheeks with a grin as she waited for her wolf to return. She found a small comb sitting on the side and busied herself with getting the tangles out of her hair, listening as Jared fumbled around outside the room.

"Here," he said as he entered, now wearing shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt and holding out a large towel, his eye's roaming appreciatively over her body before it disappeared from view.

"I'm so telling mom!" a voice rang out from behind them and Kim's head shot round to find Jared's sister standing in the doorway.

"You're so telling mom what, Bess?" Jared scowled, "that Kim took a shower at our house?"

"You think 'cause I'm fifteen I'm stupid? I know what you two were doing!" Bess exclaimed defiantly, her eye's catching Kim's and making her face burn with embarrassment while Jared grinned.

"First of all, what I do with my girlfriend is none of your business and you have no proof," he shrugged "and second? If you even try to tell mom that there was anything going on other than what you see now, I'll tell her about you smoking!"

Bess' mouth dropped open, quickly snapping it shut as she regained her composure. "I have not!"

"You wreak Bess!" Jared chuckled leaning in and sniffing her. "It's all in your hair and no amount of gum or your friend's cheap perfume is going to hide that!"

"Fine!" She stamped her foot and turned to walk away. "Just get out of the bathroom, I need to shower."

"Oh, but… "Kim started after her, but Jared grabbed her arm and quieted her. "What are you doing? I was going to tell her there's no hot water."

"I know," Jared nodded "but it's much funnier if you don't!"

He grabbed her hand and led her across the hall to his room, bending down to grab her clothes from the floor and scrunching his nose up at them. "Uh, you want me to find you something else? I can ask Bess if she has some pants or something."

Kim took the dirty, tattered material from his hands and sighed. "No, don't bother her any more. The shorts aren't too bad; can I just borrow a shirt?"

Jared nodded and grabbed her one from his dresser, obediently averting his eye's when she dropped the towel to dress.

"I think I should get home." Kim mumbled as she pulled her hair free from the collar and sat to pull on her shoes. "I managed to convince my mom I was sick so she'd let me stay home today, I doubt she was too pleased to come back from Port Angeles and find me gone?"

Outside they heard the bathroom door shut, followed moments later by a shout from Bess. "I'll walk you." Jared smiled pulling her through the house.

"Hey Jared?" He turned at the sound of his name to find Quil, bounding towards him. "Sam wants you at the house. Jake decided to run."

"What? That's just great!" He huffed. "I'll be there in ten, I'm just gonna walk Kim home okay?"

"But Sam said…" Quil started and Jared cut him off.

"Is me being there five minutes earlier going to make Jake come back?" He cocked an eyebrow and Quil shrugged. "Then I'll see you in ten."

The walk back to her house was made in relative silence, with the odd brush of hands and peck on the lips and when they finally stopped next to her porch, Kim could see the curtains twitching as her mom peered out.

"You want me to stay?" Jared asked, following her eyes to the window.

"No, it'll be fine although, I wouldn't be surprised if she grounded me again?" Kim shrugged.

"I'll come back tonight if I can, leave your window unlocked for me?" He asked and Kim nodded with a blush. "I love you."

"I love you too." She punctuated her words with a kiss, smiling at the small groan of frustration that rumbled in his chest as he lifted her off her feet. "I'll see you later."

Kim walked back to her house, stealing little glances at Jared until he disappeared into the tree line and then let herself into the house to find her mother sitting at the kitchen table.

"Listen mom, I know I told you I wasn't feeling great today and I really wasn't lying it just that one of Jere's friends got hurt and…" Her mother's voice stopped her.

"Are you okay?" Pam asked, eyeing her daughter warily as she nervously pushed her damp hair behind her ear.

"Yeah I'm fine." She frowned. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You know, I wasn't much older than you when I married your father. I was too young and I realize that now." She said softly. "The fact that he gave me you and your brother is the only thing I ever really loved him for."

"Mom we've been over this, Jared isn't like dad!" Kim exclaimed and her mother nodded.

"I know. He's a much better man than James will ever be." She smiled as Kim's face brightened. "I just don't want you to rush into anything before you're completely sure, I don't want you to regret anything like I did."

"I don't think I'll ever regret anything I do with Jared." Kim replied, a little tell tale blush flooded her cheeks and her mother chuckled. "I'm gonna go change."

"Kimmy?" She stopped at her door and her mother came up behind her, pulling softly on the ends of her hair. "Were you careful?"

Kim's eyes widened but she nodded, shifting her weight between her feet.

"I'll make an appointment at the doctors," Pam folded her arms and shot her daughter a small smile "so you can discuss birth control- I'm too young to become a grandmother! And if I find out he's knocked you up before you've finished college, I'm cutting his peen off!"

"Mom!" Kim exclaimed.

"What?" She grinned walking back into the kitchen, leaving Kim open mouthed. "You'll catch flies, if you keep looking at me like that!"


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I know it's been a while, I'm sorry. I've been working on some of my other stories and I've re-written this chapter so many times- I'm still not happy with it, but it ties up a couple of loose ends.**

**Anyway, I hope to get the next chapter up quicker than I did this one, but I'm currently working on finishing **'This Could be Anywhere'** and the next chapter of **'Worth Every Scar'** so all my attention will be focused on them (check them out while you're waiting!)**

**Reviews are always appreciated, and to answer LiVeStRoNgLy's question...**

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Jared did return later that night and Kim left her window unlocked just as he'd asked, melting into his heat as he crawled onto the bed behind her, engulfing her in his arms and his lips on her head lulling her back into a dreamless sleep.

It was the sudden loss of his heat that woke her and she glanced behind her to find him straddling her window sill with a finger pressed to his lips in a gesture for her to stay quiet.

"I'll be right back-" he whispered, guiding his feet carefully between the flowers that lined the earth under her window "your mom has a visitor, I'm gonna run and get the twins."

Kim frowned and threw back the sheet, fumbling around in a laundry pile and pulling on a pair of jeans to go with a shirt she had claimed from Jared before padding softly out into the main body of the house.

Her mom was at the door, talking in a hushed, but angry, voice to whoever stood on the other side.

She peeked her head through the crack in Alex's door, reassuring herself that he was still asleep and completely oblivious to whatever was going on and pulling the door firmly shut.

"Everything okay mom?" Kim asked, pulling her back from her face and Pam turned, a fake smile plastered across her face.

"Fine sweetie, why don't you go and get yourself some breakfast?" she said. "Could you make me a coffee please? I'll be right there."

"You not gonna offer me one too? Where's the hospitality?" A voice boomed and Kim's eyes widened in recognition.

she walked to the door, pulling it open wider to reveal a stocky, older man, his black hair peppered with flashes of white and his eyes were heavy behind his wire rimmed glasses.

"What are you doing here Jim?" she frowned, mirroring her mother's stiff posture as she stared at her father.

"I would prefer it if you called me Dad," he huffed "a little respect goes a long way. You'd do well to remember that."

"Oh really? I was under the impression that respect was earned?" Kim popped her hip. "And if you don't like Jim, I'm sure I can think of something else to call you, but I'm guessing you'd like those even less."

"Kim-" her mom gripped her elbow and squeezed. "Go inside baby, he's not staying."

"I leave when you tell me where they are, they called their mother and I know they're here." he sighed, shoving his hands in the pockets of his grey tweed blazer.

"I've told you," Pam spat. "I have no idea where you're boys are, maybe you should've kept a better eye on them instead of gallivanting around with your flavor of the week?"

"What about you?" he turned to Kim. "You gonna tell me you don't know anything too?"

"Oh no, I know exactly where they are." Kim nodded behind him at the group of oversized men walking towards them- the twins surrounded by Jared, and three others.

"Kim, you should've told me." her mom breathed and Kim grimaced.

"Sorry mom, they turned up on Thursday night. I meant to tell you yesterday, but with Jake getting hurt and everything, it just slipped my mind." she explained. "I'm really sorry."

Jim's eyes widened at the sight of Collin and Brady, and even Kim noticed the extra couple of inches in height and muscle they had accumulated since she'd last seen them - both were fast closing in on Seth's already formidable six foot one.

"I'm not even going to ask!" He reached into his pocket and tossed his car keys into the air, catching them again and jumping from the porch. "Car, now!"

Collin's body trembled slightly, and Seth placed an arm on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down while Brady merely cocked an eyebrow at the command.

"You can't tell me what to do!" He scoffed, pushing his way through the barrier created by his pack brothers to stand in front of his father.

"You wanna bet?" Jim pressed. "You disappear from a fifteen thousand dollar a year school without so much as a word, you travel two hundred and fifty kilometers _alone a_nd to top it all off I've had to take time off work to come and get you. Do you have any idea how much of an inconvenience this is?

Now get in that car before I throw you in the trunk!"

He grabbed Brady's wrist and tugged him towards the vehicle, stopping suddenly when a large hand clamped down on his own.

"Let him go," Embry growled, staring down at the man, his jaw locked and his eyes dark. "Now."

"And you would be?" Jim prompted, yanking his hand from his grip and dropping Brady's arm in the process.

"Embry Call," he gritted and Kim was pretty sure she saw her fathers eyes widen ever so slightly at the name.

Her eyes flicked to Brady who stood, looking between the two with a knitted brow. Collin stepped from under Seth's grasp and appeared on the other side of Embry and Kim finally saw it.

The dimpled chin, the brow line, the high cheek bones and the angular jaw- they were the same.

"She told me she was getting a termination." Jim mumbled and Kim span on her heel at the sharp intake of air behind her.

Pam flew past, her robe flapping in the breeze; hair still mussed from sleep and the furry bunny slippers that Alex had gotten her for mother's day adorning her feet as she pushed herself between Jim and the boys.

"You have got to be kidding me!" she screeched and pointed at Kim. "He is three weeks older than her- three weeks! What the hell kind of man does that?"

Jim took a step back, his hands held up in surrender as her finger poked at his chest. "It was bad enough that you lead us on like you did, it's bad enough that Alex has no idea who you are, but this is just plain evil!"

"He was a mistake!" He bellowed and Kim's hands flew to her mouth as her mothers hand collided with his cheek.

"Get the hell off my property!" Pam screamed, pushing and slapping at him as he attempted to cower away from her. Sam came running from the tree line, taking his position at the front of the pack and watching with comic interest as Kim's mom beat Jim into the driver's seat of his car.

"Boy's, this is my final warning, get in the car now!" He called his cheeks pink from embarrassment as he fumbled with his seatbelt and started the car.

"We don't take orders from you anymore!" Collin growled, his body still visibly shaking.

"I don't want to call the police, but I will if I have to." He threatened and Pam chuckled.

"Go ahead," she challenged. "I've got seven witnesses that can prove you physically assaulted your son and threatened to throw him in the trunk of your car."

Jim huffed and shifted the car into reverse. "You're going to kill your mother, you know that right?" He said leaning out of the window. "This is on both your heads!"

Collin was shaking violently and Kim watched as the rest of the pack grouped around him. Jared broke off, taking Pam's arm and leading her back up to the porch with Kim, placing himself protectively in front of them.

It was a domino effect- Collin lost control, exploding into a mass of grey fur in the centre of the ring with Sam following him immediately, charging at the snarling youngster and forcing him into the trees with a now phased Embry hot on their tails.

"Oh my god!" Kim yelped with shock as her mother staggered back against her and knocked her into the doorframe as she struggled to hold her dead weight.

"Now I see where you get it from!" Jared grumbled lifting her mother into his arms as Alex bellowed from inside the house and turned to a lupine Brady. "Go check on the kid."

The grey wolf bounded up the porch steps and slipped effortlessly between them and into the house.

Kim's eyes widened as he disappeared around the corner and heard the exact moment he found Alex.

"Cool! We got a dog!" A little voice chirped happily and Jared growled.

"Human, Bray- human!" he chastised, carefully maneuvering Pam through the doorway and setting her on the couch.

"Mom?" Kim dropped to her knees and patted her mother's cheek while Jared went to the kitchen and filled a glass with water.

Pam grumbled and pushed herself up, taking the glass that Jared offered her and taking a small sip before handing it back to Kim who placed it on the coffee table.

"Hey, momma look!" Alex came running out of his room, flanked by Brady's wolf. He reached his small hand up and over the animal's shoulders, running his finger through the fur at the back of his neck. "Can we keep him?"

"Oh my god!" Pam jumped to her feet and gestured for Alex to come to her. "Leave the wolf alone baby and come to momma."

She pleaded quietly, Alex frowned turning to Brady who cocked his head at her.

"Jared, you take Kim out of here and go call the Police or animal control-" she whispered. "Someone with a gun!"

"It's really not necessary, just give me a minute please?" Jared implored. "Sit down and I'll explain. Brady? Go change."

"That's Brady?" she exclaimed dropping back onto the sofa as the wolf went back into Alex's room, emerging moments later human and with a fleecy Toy Story blanket tied around his waist. "I thought I was hallucinating!"

"Where'd the dog go?" Alex glanced behind Brady who shrugged.

"I'm sure he'll be back before you know it, kiddo." He said ruffling his hair.

"You remember those magic wolves I was telling you about the other night?" Kim asked and Alex nodded. "Well that was one of them; he had to go back into the forest to find the rest of his pack."

"That's so cool!" Alex ran back down the hallway and into Kim's room to look out the window at the trees.

"Magic wolves?" Jared cocked an eyebrow and pulled her to him as she sighed.

"You woke him up the other night when you slammed the door and then he heard you howling and it scared him so I…" she started, but Pam held her hands up to stop her.

"Would someone _please_ tell me what's going on?" she asked.

"It's pretty simple really," Jared shrugged. "All the old tribal wolf legends are real- Taha Aki, spirit warriors, Vampires, everything."

"And you know this because…" she cut her eyes at him.

"He knows because he's one of them mom," Kim explained. "He's a wolf too."

"Are you shitting me?" she balked, quickly covering her hand at her slip in front of her son before turning to Brady. "You- sit down."

Brady ducked his head and walked around the sofa, making sure his modesty was covered as he set himself down on the edge of the cushion.

"What are you doing here?" Pam asked, perching herself on the coffee table in front of him.

"We phased on the school grounds back in Seattle," he said glancing up at her. "One of the other kids said something about mom and Cole snapped- kinda like out there. I managed to get him around the back of the building before he completely phased and I followed him. The guys came to get us- Sam thinks that it was to do with the vampire army that was being produced back in the city."

"There's a vampire army? What vampire army?" she turned back to Jared and Kim as her front door opened and the rest of the pack walked in.

"They're gone." Sam said sternly. "We took care of them."

"Oh that makes me feel so much better!" Pam sneered as Collin rounded the table and tossed a pair of shorts at a grateful Brady.

"You okay man?" Jared asked Embry who nodded and leaned against the wall.

Kim slipped from under Jared's arm and crossed the room, offering a tentative smile to her newly discovered sibling.

Embry snorted out a chuckle and grabbed her too him. "Kinda always wanted a little sister."

"Are you sure you're okay? I mean what he said was…" she started pulling back to look up at him and he shook his head.

"I'm nearly eighteen years old and that was the first time I met the guy," he shrugged. "I'd already figured he was an asshole, at least now I know who I am, and now I don't have to tip toe around Billy or Old Quil- I think I would have been slightly more pissed off if I found it was one of them and they'd been lying to me the whole time?"

"I think I need a drink." Pam stood and walked to the kitchen, with Kim trailing after her.

"Mom, its seven thirty in the morning- little early don't you think?" she said as her mother dropped into a dining chair with a sigh.

"I'm not entirely convinced it is, but if you say so I'll just have a coffee please- a strong one!" she demanded tiredly, resting her chin in her hand. "This was definitely not how I envisioned my Friday morning starting. I do have one question though?"

Kim placed a steaming mug in front of her mother and walked back to Jared, sliding in under his arm as she looked back at her.

"How the hell did you know Jim was here?" Pam's gaze traveled between the twins, Embry and Jared who shifted nervously as he felt Kim stiffen in his arms.

"Jared came and got us," Brady piped up. "He heard dad at the front door and left out the back."

"You left out the back?" Pam cocked an eyebrow at Jared and Brady's mouth dropped open as he realized his mistake. "You stayed over?"

"Mom, it wasn't like that, okay- nothing happened, its…it's complicated." Kim said quickly, her fingers digging into Jared's waist.

"Does it have to do with the imprinting?" Brady asked and a room full of eyes turned on him. "I mean I don't really understand it, but he can't be away from you for long, right?"

"Do you ever shut up?" Leah hissed and he visibly recoiled. "My god, it's like Collin got all the temper and you got all the mouth!"

"Well at least one of you is telling me the truth!" Pam exclaimed pushing herself out of the chair hard enough to make the table wobble.

"You were never supposed to know about any of this." Sam said quietly from his corner of the room.

"Apparently!" she spat. "However, maybe you should have thought about that before you exploded into a wolf in the middle of my front yard!"

"He was just trying to get Collin out of the way, keeping us safe!" Kim offered. "They're not bad people mom- remember when you asked Jared what his job was and I told you it was security? Well that was the truth, they're protectors; they're not going to hurt anybody."

"Well, unless you're a vampire!" Brady scoffed and a chorus of growls rang around the room. "I'll just go see what Alex is up too."

Pam blew out a long breath, bringing a hand up to rub her temples. "What about imprinting, what's that?"

"It's what happens when one of us finds our soul mate," Sam explained "We think it's a…"

Leah tapped his arm and leaned towards him. "Fuck Sam, you really think that on top of everything she's just heard, she wants to hear that her daughter's destiny is to get knocked up and carry on the wolf gene?"

Sam shrugged and Leah sighed, turning to Kim's mom. "They belong together, Mrs. Catori. The imprint is just nature's way of making sure they don't fuck up and miss each other."

"Finally she gets it." Embry mumbled earning him a smack from Sam.

"Mrs. Catori?" She looked towards Sam. "We understand better than anyone how much of a shock this is, but _you_ need to understand that nobody can know about us- only pack, imprints and elders."

Pam nodded. "I get it don't worry, your secrets safe with me." she wrapped her arms around herself. "What about Alex? He's seen Brady can he…"

"I think we should just stick with Kim's 'Magic Wolf' explanation for now." he instructed. "He's only five, we can't expect to understand the need for secrecy- plus there's always a chance that he'll find out for himself one day, although I hope- for his sake he doesn't."

"You mean…?" her eyebrow's rose as Sam nodded and her eyes moved towards the room where her son could be heard talking to Brady excitedly. "Why?" she breathed and Collin looked up at her from his place on the couch.

"It's dad," he said softly. "He carries the gene, that's why Bray and I are like this- Embry too, apparently."

"So what? As soon as he reaches his teens he'll turn into one of you?" she slipped down next to Collin, her eyes scanning the rest of the room.

"Not necessarily," Jared said tightening his grip on Kim. "We are what we are, because a coven of vampires got too close to the reservation and it caused a genetic reaction in order to protect the tribe. There was a vampire epidemic of sorts close to where Collin and Brady live in the city, and that triggered their change- Alex will only change if there's a need for him."

The room fell into a contemplative silence as Pam let everything sink in. Sam's head twitched round, listening for something in the distance.

"Breakfast's ready." he said gruffly and the rest of the pack were immediately on there feet and headed to the door. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this Mrs. Catori."

Pam waved him off blindly before jumping to her feet. "Wait, Embry?"

Embry turned, watching her expectantly as she walked towards him, his eyes widening in surprise as her arms wrapped around his torso.

"You were better off without him, there's nothing good about that man except you kids." she whispered as the rest of the pack quietly slipped out of the door. "You're welcome here anytime and the same goes for you two as well."

She reached her arm out and grabbed Brady. "You have a place here whenever you need it, but make sure your mother knows where you are- tell her I wouldn't let you leave with him, I'll take the blame."

"Whatever." Collin mumbled as he walked out after his pack brothers.

Brady sighed. "It's not you, we're both grateful really, it's just that…" he shifted his weight and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Mom's not been right for a while, she's lost weight, cries all the time and she's on all these meds- there's nothing physically wrong with her though, it's like she's just given up on life."

"I think Cole blames himself a little, he was always fighting and stuff, and when he found out about dads last affair he hit the roof- smashed the house up and told her. She knew, I could tell she did, but it was the last straw. She went downhill from there and now he thinks it's his fault for telling her. " he shrugged. "What dad said earlier, about us being the death of her? He's scared its true- he's terrified."

Pam squeezed his arm, "Have her call me, okay?" and Brady nodded, following Embry out.

"Mom?" Kim followed her mother back into the kitchen with Jared hot on her tail. "Are you okay?"

"What do you think?" Pam sighed, gripping the edge of the sink. "I'm not gonna pretend I like of this or that I even understand it but…" she turned, looking straight passed her daughter and focusing on Jared.

"What you told me that day in the diner, you meant it?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Every single word." he nodded. "She's my life now."

"Then that'll have to do for now." she shrugged.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long- I had computer issues before Christmas which prevented me from completing and uploading the chapter, but hopefully this little bit of family bonding doesn't disappoint you to much!**

**Reviews (as always) are greatly appreciated.**

**Red.**

* * *

To say that Kim's mother had been shocked by the morning's event would have been a gross understatement, but she seemed to take it well.

At first.

After the rest of the pack had left the house, and she and Jared had their 'moment' in the kitchen, Pam promptly left them too it- disappearing down the hall to Kim's bedroom where Alex was perched at the window, watching as Brady wove playfully between the trees before disappearing into the brush.

Once she had managed to coax Alex away from the window she began to clean in earnest. Kim couldn't remember the last time the house had been so clean- it was almost clinical and Jared eventually had to leave when the stench of bleach became to overwhelming for his sensitive nose.

It wasn't until she returned from dropping Alex at school that Kim finally realized that Pam hadn't taken it that well at all. She found her mother on the bathroom floor, still dressed in her pajamas, bunny slippers and a pair of yellow rubber gloves, staring rigidly at the blue tiled wall.

Kim slipped down next to her, resting her back against the side of the bath tub, and letting her head drop onto her shoulder.

"I'm not dreaming am I?" Pam's voice was quiet, her eyes still fixed as she felt her daughter shake her head.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Kim asked lifting her head to look at her pale face.

"It's just so unbelievable!" she shook her head and scoffed, tugging the gloves from her hands with a snap and tossing them at her feet. "They're just legends- stories that we tell our children. I mean I know all legends start somewhere, but I thought it would be men in wolf skins and breech clouts not teenage boys that explode into super sized mutts! And oh god, I can't believe I fainted!"

"Yeah well you don't have to worry about that, Jared's used to it." Kim shrugged. "When I first found out about the pack I fainted on him twice- well he was a wolf the first time so technically I fainted on Sam, but you get my point."

"Is it still too early for that drink?" Pam scowled, as Kim pushed herself to her feet and held her hand out to her.

"Considering the morning you've had I think you'll be forgiven." she said leading the way into the kitchen, watching as her mother reached into the fridge for the remnants of a bottle of wine and gestured for her to grab a glass from the cupboard above her head.

Kim placed the glass on the table. "Let me know if you want to talk about it. I'm gonna go and get dressed- see if I can make it to school before lunch."

"Kimberly?" she turned back to her mum who sat toying with the half full glass in front of her, slowly turning her head to look at her. "I really had no idea about Embry- I mean I always knew that James had been unfaithful, but I didn't know who it was. If I had I would've-"

"I know." Kim nodded. "I'll make sure he does too. And don't worry about Alex okay? I'll make sure he's picked up from school."

Later that day, when Kim finally emerged from her last class and rounded the building to the emptying parking lot, she wasn't surprised to hear Alex screaming her name from his perch on Brady's shoulders while Collin glanced around nervously.

"Guess what, guess what?" he shouted, bouncing with uncontrollable excitement. "Brady came to get me from school and Joel was so jealous because I got candy and he didn't and then his mom asked for Brady's number…"

Kim chuckled as Brady turned bright red and averted his gaze, scowling as Collin shook with silent laughter.

"…and then we walked home through the trees and I saw one of the magic wol…" Collin's hand reached up and clamped down softly over Alex's mouth.

"That's a secret, remember Kiddo?" Brady reminded him and he nodded, leaning forward when Collin took his hand away to whisper to his sister.

"I think one of them ate Jared-" his eyes widened slightly as her eyebrows rose. "He ran behind a tree and a wolf came running out. Are you mad?"

Kim giggled and stretched up on her tip toes to ruffle his hair. "I'm pretty sure Jared's fine. Now- you wanna go get something to eat?"

Alex nodded enthusiastically, his hands resting on the top of Brady's head to steady himself as they began to walk across the reservation.

"Jared thought he'd better not wait outside the school- he said they've been calling his house about him being absent again." Brady told her and nodded towards the thick tree line that shadowed the distance. "He's running in there- oh he said to let you know that he ran past your house to check on your mom. She left for work about half an hour ago."

"She did?" her eyebrows pulled together and Brady nodded.

"Yeah she told him something about it being better not to over think things and that she needed to be around people." he shrugged. "Everyone has there own way of dealing with stuff- guess that's just hers."

"I suppose it better than sitting on the bathroom floor or drowning in booze." Kim nodded to herself. "So- have you spoken to your mom?"

"We called her from Emily's." Collin grumbled from his spot a few paces ahead, his fists buried deep in his pockets as he scuffed his feet through the dirt. "Brady gave her your mom's number."

"How's she doing?" she edged, her eyes flicking from Collin to Brady, who offered a tight smile and a half shrug.

"Same as always. Sad" Collins lips seemed motionless as he spoke. "I mean she was barely there when we were home, but now it's like she's completely disappeared into herself. Dad was right- we're gonna kill ..."

"She's not that bad," Brady interjected quickly. "And she promised that she'd call Pam, and who knows? Maybe we can get her down here, right? Once she's away from _him, _she can get better."

"Who are you trying to kid?" his brother snorted. "As soon as dad get's home he gonna feed her some bullshit about us and why we didn't come home. He'll twist everything we've told her and use it against us and then he'll leave her while he goes off to do some 'extra credit' with his students."

Kim stared wide eyed at the back of Collin's heaving shoulders. "Why didn't she just leave him?"

"Because she's weak." he glanced over his shoulder at her momentarily. "And he's an…"

"Asshole." Embry jogged up along side them, a long, lean arm reaching over to gently rough up Collin's hair, snorting quietly when his hand was punched away with more force than necessary. "Anyone with a half a brain could figure that one out."

"What's an asshole?" Alex leaned over Brady's head to look at him, his little eyebrows drawn together in thought.

"It's what you call someone who's full of-ouch! Motherfu- ah, will you stop that!" Embry rubbed his hand over the inside of his bicep, Kim's little half moon nail bites, fading in seconds and he rolled his eyes as she scowled at him. "It's a bad word. A very bad word- you are not allowed to repeat it, especially in front of your momma 'cause she'll have my ball- argh! Jesus Christ Kim, cut your damn nails!"

"Watch your mouth- he's only five and he doesn't need any help coloring his vocabulary, thank you very much!" Kim chastised before lifting a hand to examine the damage. "Anyway- Jared likes my nails."

"Yeah, we know." Embry said prodding his finger into his temple and Kim couldn't help the tiny gasp that escaped her lips as her cheeks flushed a rather fluorescent red.

"You-what do you mean you know?" she stammered and the twins turned away to hide there smirks as Embry grinned down at her.

"Aww Kimmy, did you forget about the mind share?" he pouted playfully, throwing his arm around her shoulders. "Chill out, I was kidding -Jared would never do that to you, I'm sorry." he chuckled, squeezing her shoulders, stopping dead as she yanked away and rounded on him.

"You are such an assho-" she started before his hand landed over her mouth.

Embry tutted and wagged his finger. "Watch your language Kimmy; we wouldn't want Alex learning such bad words would we?"

"You should run." her eyes narrowed at him and a wide grin spread across his face.

"Oh yeah? What exactly are you gonna do, bite my ankles?" Embry scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'll get you, you know that right? When you least expect it, I'll be there and you'll pay!" she told him, the tip of her finger poking at his chest and he shook his head and chuckled.

"You wouldn't hurt your big brother, would you?" Embry smiled sweetly and Kim cocked an eyebrow.

"You tell me!" she grinned. "Brother and sister, we share blood- DNA. Would you let me get away with it?"

Embry shook his head slowly and Kim turned to walk away.

"When you least expect it, Call, remember that." she called over her shoulder. "I'd sleep with one eye open if I were you."

"You guy's will stick up for me, right?" Embry asked the twins, both of them snorting at him. " What? Pack brothers and blood brothers, plus I'm your elder so you kinda don't have a choice!"

Brady lifted Alex from his shoulders and set him down to run after Kim, "dude- you're a shape-shifting wolf with super senses and hulk strength and I am still more scared of her than I am of you! You pissed of her off, you deal with it."

Brady ran after Alex, scooping him up under his arm and spinning as he squealed.

"You just better hope she doesn't get Jared involved-" Collin smirked as he walked next to his brother. "Picking on girls always has it's consequences, but I'm willing to bet that when that girl is an imprint it's like, ten times worse!"

"Thanks for your support little brother!" Embry growled missing the top of his head as lunged for him.

"Anytime bro!" Collin chuckled. "Welcome to the family."

Kim walked into Sam and Emily's house with a cheery "Hello", only to be met by a group of less than enthusiastic returns as she made her way through to the kitchen.

"Who kicked their puppy?" she asked Emily as she sat hunched over a sketch pad at the kitchen table.

"They're having a hard time getting a hold of Jake." she sighed, dropping her pencil and standing up to grab a glass for Kim. "Him running has kinda thrown them off kilter- hey little guy!"

Emily all but ran around the kitchen table as Brady dropped Alex to his feet inside the door, and he immediately shrank back behind his legs as his eyes fell over the group of giant men in the room.

"Oh don't worry about them!" Emily said as she squatted down next to him, and gently gripped his hand. "They're a bunch of teddy bears. I'm Emily- what's your name?"

"I'm Alex." he whispered, peeking out from behind Brady's knee.

"Well it's nice to meet you Alex," she smiled. "Now if any of these boys scare you, you let me know and they won't get any dinner, okay?"

Three pairs of wide eyes turned toward her and she raised her perfect eyebrow at each one, challenging them to try her. "Now let's go get you some milk and cookies."

"How come I don't get milk and cookies?" Sam groused from his spot on the couch.

"Well forgetting the fact that I made three trays this morning and two off them miraculously disappeared - after you tracked mud all over my bedroom carpet with your dirty feet, you don't actually deserve any!" she exclaimed and Sam huffed and turned back around. "Any chance Pam will swap me Alex for a muddy twenty one year old?"

Kim giggled. "I doubt it, but you can try? She's always complaining that she can never reach anything on the top shelves in the kitchen so she might be grateful!"

Collin and Embry walked in shoving each other playfully with Jared following behind them.

"Hey baby!" he grinned, walking toward Kim and enveloping her in his arms and leaning down to catch her lips.

"Eww,' Alex grimaced and turned to Emily. "Jared's gonna catch girl cooties!"

"Girl cooties?" Emily snorted. "Who told you that?"

"Joel from school." he said matter of factly. "He said that all girls have cooties, and if you kiss them then you get spots all over and your lips fall off!"

"Is that so?" Emily quirked her brow. "Well then I probably shouldn't do this then-"

She ducked her head down and pressed her lips to his cheek. "Or this?" Alex giggled and squirmed as she gently grabbed his head and peppered his cheeks with kisses.

"Is it wrong that I'm jealous of a five year old?" Sam asked and Paul shook his head, mumbling something about "damn imprinting" before redirecting his attention to the T.V.

"Well if it's true then I'm a doomed man." Jared smiled, kissing Kim again, his hands trailing up and down her sides as her arms wrapped around his neck and tugged him down.

"God, get a room already!" Collin exclaimed and Jared blindly lifted a hand to flip him the bird before lifting Kim's feet from the floor and walking them both through to the back of the house.

"Not my room, asshole!" Sam shouted after them and Kim was just about coherent enough to hear Alex say something about a bad word swiftly followed by a pained whine from Sam.

A door clicked shut behind them and she opened her eyes just as Jared sat down on the closed lid of the toilet seat with her on his lap.

"Real romantic, babe- this is why I love you." she deadpanned.

"Only the best for my imprint!" he waggled his eyebrows at her and she giggled, pulling his body closer to hers and sighing in relief. "Did Brady tell you I saw your mom this afternoon?"

He felt her nod into his shoulder, "Thanks for checking on her Jere, you didn't have to do that."

"Gotta keep the mother in law happy, right?" he shrugged and Kim's eyebrows slid up her forehead.

"Mother in law?" she edged. "A little presumptuous there, don't you think?"

"Say's the girl who had 'Mrs. Kimberly Leavitt' written all over her books." he chuckled.

"Yeah well that was before I found out you were a wolf!" Kim scoffed. "I'm not entirely sure I wanna tie myself to an overgrown mutt for the rest of my life?"

"Like you'd have it any other way!" Jared nuzzled her neck making her giggle again. "Plus you're stuck with me either way now and I know you love me!"

"Maybe just a little bit." she admitted quietly. "Maybe."

"Only maybe, huh?" he cocked an eyebrow. "I'm gonna have to see about changing that! Now I know you definitely love this-"

Kim tipped her head back as his lips descended on her neck, his tongue flicking out into the hollow at the base of her throat and tracing an invisible line until the neckline of her t-shirt prevented him from going any lower.

She tugged the hair at the base of his neck, rolling her hips over his as his hand crept up the back of her shirt and drawing a deep growl from him.

"Hey!" they both started when a loud bang accompanied Sam's voice. "Does this look like the Playboy mansion to you? Get out of my bathroom!"

"Guess I'm gonna have to continue this later." Jared sighed, straightening her clothes. "If Sam's not getting any, nobodies getting any!"

"I heard that!" Sam's bellowed from down the hall.

"You were supposed to!" he shouted back, steadying Kim as she stood from his lap and standing in front of her.

"I should probably make sure Alex is behaving himself." Kim blushed. "I need to get him fed and make sure his reading gets done."

Jared pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and took her hand to lead her toward the kitchen.

"Hey Jared?" he stopped and Kim worried her lip as he turned to her expectantly. "I definitely love you a lot more than maybe."

Jared chuckled and shook his head. "I already knew that baby- I love you too! Now let's go rescue the guys from the five year old."

"What?" she frowned as he directed her towards the den and the pile of Brady and Embry, topped by a triumphant looking Alex.

"I'm the strongest, see!" he screeched as Brady lifted his head from the bottom of the pile and offered a pathetic wave before trying to shove Embry off of him.

"Let 'em up, Alex." Kim smiled, lifting him off and pushing him toward the kitchen table. "You need to come and eat your dinner if you're gonna take down Quil and Paul!"

Seth walked into the house, tying his shorts and Sam stood up and turned to Jared, "We're up- come on."

"I'll see you later Kimmy," he said following him out. "Paul's gonna drive you two home when you're ready, Okay?"

"Oh, can I get a ride too?" Embry piped up hopefully, and Paul pulled a face and shook his head. "What, why not?"

"Because it's my car and I said so- you have two feet so use 'em!" he shrugged and Embry sneered, turning to Alex.

"You know that bad word that you're not allowed to say?" he asked and Alex nodded eagerly. "Paul's one of those."

"What word?" Paul frowned and Alex turned toward him.

"Asshole."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: It's not a long chapter, but I thought they needed some alone time- enjoy!**

**Reviews are (as always) very much appreciated!**

**Redx**

* * *

Kim turned her face into the mattress with a groan, the pillow clutched in her arms a poor substitute for Jared's body.

She lifted her head and glanced at the clock, letting out a little whine of frustration at the red numbers that indicated it was almost two in the morning and she still hadn't managed more than a few minutes of sleep.

The pillow was tossed to the floor with her long discarded sheets as she sat up, brushing away the hair that was stuck to the clammy surface of her face and neck as she dragged herself to the wide open window, hanging the top half of her body out in a desperate attempt to catch any whisper of a breeze.

The air was sultry and thick, and she pulled at the collar of the oversized vest she was using to sleep in, flapping the material as she tried to cool her body.

"Kim?" her whispered name caught her attention and she turned her head to find Jared stalking from the shadows, his shorts hastily pulled on and hanging precariously loose on his hips. "Hey baby, what are you doing awake?"

Kim smiled as he leaned forward to press his lips to hers, the tip of his tongue teasing the seam of her lips before pulling away.

"I'm too damn hot!" she sighed, flapping her top again. "I just can't get comfortable and I need to sleep- I've got an exam tomorrow! What are you doing here anyway?"

Jared shrugged and gripped her waist in his hands, "I ran past to check on you on my way home and heard you whining," he grinned. "Thought I'd come and see what the problem was."

"I don't suppose you have some super werewolf ability to make people fall asleep that you forgot to mention, do you?" Kim whined and he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Sorry baby, that I can't do, but I can take you out for a run if you want?" her head popped up and he smiled, backing away from the window and enjoying the glassy look in his imprints eyes as he shamelessly dropped his shorts and fell forward onto his paws.

He shook out his fur and stepped closer to the window, watching carefully as Kim pulled herself onto the sill and slipped her leg over his back.

"I'm not sure how this is going to help?" she mumbled, leaning into his too warm body, threading her fingers into the pelt at his neck. "You run to hot."

The Jared wolf turned his head and snorted, stepping into a slow trot towards the trees to let her get used to the movement before he broke out into a run.

Kim groaned as the wind they generated whipped her face. She tightened the grip her knees had on his torso and leaned back, relishing the cool air on her body.

Jared suddenly darted to the side, making her wobble and quickly lean back into him, her shocked giggle lost in his fur.

Her eyes fell shut as she rested her head on his shoulders, a soft sigh passing her lips and her entire body melting into his as he slowed his pace back down. "I think I could fall asleep right here."

The sound of his soft pants and the steady rhythm of his pulse under her fingers lulled her into a light sleep, still vaguely aware of the trees rushing by and the sudden changes in the wolfs movements as he dodged and hopped obstacles in their path.

The brown wolf slowed to a complete stop as he broke into a clearing near the cliffs, his nose lifting to scent the sea air before he dropped gently to his stomach.

Kim stirred groggily as she felt the wolf twist underneath her, sitting up and cracking her eyelids to find Jared grinning up at her.

Her cheeks flushed pink as she looked down his body to where she straddled his naked hips and she raised a questioning eyebrow at him as he pushed himself up to sit.

"I'm beginning to think that there was an ulterior motive to you getting me out here?" she said, pursing her lips as he shrugged nonchalantly, suppressing his grin as he shifted his legs and folded them underneath her.

"I haven't spent any time alone with you since last week-" his hands found her knees and slipped up her thighs until he gripped her hips, pulling her a little closer. "Can you blame me?"

"What do you mean? You spent the past two nights at my house!" she huffed and he dropped his head back with a sigh.

"You have no idea how much that doesn't count-" he whined. "I could handle your mom putting me on the couch, at least then I could sneak into your room once everyone's asleep, but putting me in with Alex? She's using a five year old as a contraceptive- it's not fair! There's no way I can compete with that."

"And here I thought you were trying to help me get ready for my exams tomorrow morning," she grumbled, folding her arms across her chest. "I need to be well rested and relaxed."

"Well it's gone two in the morning, so there's not much I can do about the well rested part-" Jared tugged her arms open and dropped them at her sides, leaning forward to press his lips against her exposed collar bone as his fingers tickled under her vest and up her back. "But I can definitely help you relax."

Kim's head fell back, opening her throat to his mouth, a small hiss bubbling behind her lips as his thumbs swept over her pebbled nipples.

Jared gripped the hem of her shirt and dragged it up her body, prizing his lips from her skin long enough to pull it over her head and toss it somewhere behind them.

"We…not here…oh god!" her eyes squeezed shut, her hips rolling over his erection as his lips descended on her breasts. "Someone might see…shit!"

"No one's been here in hours, I checked-" he ground out, bucking into her, seeking out friction in her heat. "And I'll hear if anyone else is coming."

She nodded in acquiescence, gripping his head in her hands and pulling his mouth back to hers, her legs looping around his waist as they thrust into each other.

His hands fell back to her hips and he tugged at the bands of her underwear, fingers hooking at the sides as he readied himself to tear them away.

"Don't-" Kim said suddenly. "If you tear anymore of my panties, I won't have any left!"

"Would that really be such a bad thing?" he asked, tugging them a little harder and Kim huffed, pushing her self from his lap and he groaned at the loss. "No- come back!"

Kim snorted at his childishness, shaking her head as she pushed her underwear down her legs and kicked them away. "I swear to god, you better tell me if someone's coming or it'll be the last time we ever…"

Jared was on his knees in front of her, tongue laving at the dip of her hip as his hand slid through the damp curls between her legs.

"Hmm- what was that?" he teased as his fingers sank into her body, guiding her back onto his lap when her knees began to wobble.

"Forgot!" she sighed, clutching at his shoulders, mewling as the heel of his hand pressed relentlessly against her sensitive nub. "Ung- just like that!"

She let out a small groan when his fingers slipped away from her, brow furrowed and mouth open to protest the loss as he centered her over his groin, tugging at his disheveled hair as he lowered her onto his shaft deliberately.

"Been way too fucking long!" he growled as his hands roamed her naked back, his mouth finding hers- soft nips and gentle tugs in time with deep thrusts.

"Too long!" she agreed, stiffening momentarily as he guided her down onto her back, leaf litter scratching at her bare skin and rustling under her head.

Jared moved his grip from her waist to her wrists, stretching her arms up above her head, his mouth attaching to the top of her breast and his tongue tracing invisible patterns as she arched into him.

Kim pulled her knees up, her ankles locking at his waist as he pistoned in and out, driving her over the edge into her orgasm quicker than she'd wanted, slowing his pace to a near complete stop as she fluttered and pulsed around him.

"God, I love it when you do that!" he pressed his lips hard against hers and she winced uncomfortably as he shifted, sliding slowly back into her.

Jared relinquished his hold on her wrists, her hands gripping his shoulders as his found her thighs, pressing them further apart and giving them a gentle squeeze before bringing his thumb to his mouth and wetting it on his tongue.

"One more time for me babe." he whispered, slipping his hand between their sweat slicked bodies and finding her clit.

"No, no it's too much!" she protested, trying to press back into the solid ground. "It's not gonna work."

"Don't you trust me, Kimmy?" Jared crooned, pecking at her lips. "Relax and let me take care of you, I promise it'll work."

Kim nodded and softened the death grip her thighs had on his hips, a soft sigh escaping her lips as his thumb resumed light circles against her nub and his erection twitched inside her.

He circled his hips, picking up as his pace again as he began to slide in and out, his breath ragged as he gripped her hip with bruising force and dropped his forehead onto her chest.

Mumbled profanities slipped through his lips as Kim scratched at his shoulders- her walls fluttering round him.

"Shit-come on babe." Jared groaned and with a last flex of his hips she unraveled underneath him, dragging him with her with a shout.

"Ohmygod!" Kim breathed, bringing her hand down a little to hard over her eyes as her chest heaved, her body aching and already protesting under Jared's dead weight. "Get off me!"

"That's the thanks I get?" he smirked tiredly as he lifted the top half of his body off of her, giving her enough room to push herself up on to his elbows.

"Holy shit!" A voice rang out from behind them and Jared threw himself down on Kim as she whipped her head around to locate its origin, grunting under the force the force of his body pressing down on top of her.

"Collin? What the hell, dude!" Jared seethed, scooping his imprint into his arms to shield her as best he could as her brother covered his eyes and turned away from them.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Collin pleaded. "Jesus Christ you have no idea how sorry I am! I just- I was on patrol and I heard someone cry out in pain, at least I _thought _it was pain. Obviously I was wrong!"

"Just go away Cole!" Kim begged, curling herself into Jared.

"Yep sure, I'm just gonna-" Collin darted back through the trees and Jared dropped his head onto her shoulder.

She felt him shaking and it took her a couple of seconds to realize that he was laughing.

"Why are you laughing? My brother- your pack mate, just found us naked and post coital in the middle of the damn forest!" she chastised. "It's not funny!"

"Well I don't think I have anything to be ashamed about and it's not like he's never seen my bare ass before- one of the drawbacks of being a werewolf I guess. And you-" he lifted back off her and dragged his eyes down her naked body. "You definitely have nothing to be ashamed about!"

"It was my little brother, Jared!" she hissed. "Find my damn shirt."

Jared pushed himself to his feet, grabbing his shorts and tugging them on as he walked over to where her tank top lay in a crumpled heap, picking it up and returning to where she now stood dressed in her underwear.

"Just be grateful he wasn't a few minutes earlier, that would have been a bit of a mood killer!" he exclaimed and ducked away from Kim's flailing hand as she made to slap him.

He pulled her shirt over her head and she squealed as he flipped her into his arms and began walking back into the direction of the house.

"So- same time tomorrow?"


End file.
